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THE STORY OF THE WORK OF THE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD 
COMPANY AT EXPERIMENTAL STATION NUMBER ONE. 




Class 

Book 

Copyright }l°_ 



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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



3 WS""^ 



The Lure of The Land 

Edith Loring Fullerton 

Jluthor of " How to Make a Vegetable Qarden " 



"Farm to Family — Fresh' 





Long Island, N. Y. 



The History of a Market- garden and Dairy Plot 
developed within eight months upon Long Island's 
Idle Territory, long designated as "Scrub Oak Waste," 
being a true story of the work carried on by The 
Long Island Railroad Co. at Experimental Station 
Number One. 



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LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Iwo Copies Received 
APh 23 1907 

. topyneM Entry 

^LASS A )0^c., No. 
/(of /J(?. 
CePY B. 



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Copyright, 1S06, by 
The Long Ishind Railroad Co.,'N. Y. 






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The Desolate Burned Over " Scrub Oak Waste " Selected for Development 




WHEN Mr. Ralph Peters became President of the Long Island 
Railroad, his inspection tours of the Island showed him much 
to be done, and most forcibly was brought before him the fact 
that the vast acreage of idle land, especially in Suffolk County (the 
easterly half of the Island) must be developed for its own sake and for 
that of its railroad. 

Many thrifty produce farms, dotted here and there in the midst of 
this wilderness, together with the vast quantity and high quality of 
vegetables and fruit grown in the section, showed plainly that the land 
now lying idle, much of it untaxed because it had been burned over so 



often, could be developed into market gardens, fruit orchards, vineyards 
and dairies. 

As "the proof of the pudding is in the eating," and as practical 
demonstration is vastly superior to written statements, the President 
determined to establish Experimental Stations at various points on the 
Island and give to the public the results of the work; the object being 
to prove that the undeveloped territory of Long Island, for years desig- 
nated as "Scrub Oak Waste" or "Pine Barrens" was maligned, and 
would, when given the opportunity, produce good crops of high quality. 

The work of this development was given into Mr. Fullerton's 
hands, and I, being favored beyond most women, have been his "full 
partner" in the intensely interesting and valuable work. 

It has included the daily records of not only ordinary farm opera- 
tions, but details of victory or defeat in the fight with injurious insects 




Daily Records of 
maximum and mini- 
mum temperature ; 
also the rain and dew 
fall 



and diseases, the quantity of crops gathered, their packing and ship- 
ping; the growing of all valuable vegetables native to the temperate 
zone, as well as many from China, Japan and the Southern States, nev- 
er before grown in this latitude; the receiving and entertaining of many 
distinguished "Foreign" guests as well as the Island neighbors and 
workers, investigators and experts in the tilling of the soil. 

It includes a daily weather report, made Avith tested Government 
thermometers and rain gauge, and conducted under Government regu- 
lations; together with the photographic record of every step of the 
work. 

These records have at all times been open to the public and have 
been inspected by eminent agriculturists in both National and State 
employ, editors of many agricultural periodicals, besides laymen in 
various callings. 



The frequent criticism of the Farm has been that a man of small 
means could not go and do likewise. That is an unfair and unjust 
criticism. We have accomplished in one year what a man may take 
several in doing; there is nothing from the simple five-roomed portable 
house to the 5,000 gallon tank that a man in moderate circumstances 
cannot have, and if his means warrant he may have much more than 
the Experimental Station possesses. 

In proving that this land could raise 380 varieties of plant growth, 
the income from crops was materially cut down because this meant 
small plots of a variety. It has paid Long Island in giving it an agricul- 
tural impetus already beneficial. It will show a man who is launching 
in this new business just how much produce of each certain type was 
raised on a given space; it has paved the way for him, made some of his 
mistakes for him against which he will guard, and given him the en- 
couragement the beginner sorely needs. Giving to the public these 
proofs of the land's fertility in two County Fairs has materially reduced 




Vegetables garnered for the county fairs 

the Farm's income, for the greater part of the force was for three weeks 
taken from regular operations that the showing might be as complete 
and attractive as possible. 

It has been said, "Oh, of course the Railroad hauls everything free 
of charge for its own Farm. How can you tell what it would cost an 

7 



outsider?" The Farm has paid freight and express on all its products, 
both to and from the Farm and knows just what it would cost another 
man to do the same thing. It has lived the "simple life" as far as was 
possible with the educational work it was created to accomplish. All 
supplies were as cheap as true economy would permit, for nothing is 
cheap that does not wear well. 




The homestead, wash-stand and bath-room, simple yet adequate 

In brief, the Farm stands to-day on its first birthday Avhere many 
men would place it in ten years or even a lifetime. That others may 
do likewise, or even exceed the results in the same brief space of 
time, goes without saying; that is simply a matter of personal equation. 




Part I 
Selection and Clearing 




The start, September 1905 



10 



Selection and Clearing 



EARLY in August, 1905, the following message came from Mr. 
Peters: "Find the worst 10 acres on the North Shore upon 
which to establish Experimental Station No. 1." 

"Why does he want the worst piece?" I at once asked. 

"Because we don't want everyone to say, 'O well, you have known 
the Island for years and of course you could pick up the very best 
piece there was anywhere.' " 

"I see — and how are you going to prove to the dear public that 
it was the worst piece after we get through with it?" 

"O, I have a little scheme up my sleeve," replied the Senior Part- 
ner, and I was fully satisfied, for little schemes up his sleeve always 
grow larger as they come down and positively burst as they drop out. 

We traveled the "Mountain Division," as the North Shore branch 
is lovingly termed, for many days. Our project seemed doomed, for no 
one would sell a paltry ten acres; talk about hundreds or thousands or 
whole farms and they might listen (but now that is all changed). Final- 
ly two plots were located, one at Rocky Point of the desired area, and 
one at Wading River of 18 acres. Rocky Point had some very fine stand- 
ing trees, while the Wading River plot was a slice out of the most des- 
olate burned over "waste" mind can picture. Scarcely a live standing 
tree except along the northern boundary and the northeast corner, and 
these were scarred and charred second and third growth oak and 
chestnut. 

Photographs were taken of both plots and submitted to the Presi- 
dent. We told him that the native Long Islanders assured us that the 
Wading River plot was the "no goodest" piece of land to be found. 

"How much soil will we find?" we had queried, and they replied: 

"Well if you find six inches you'll be doing well. Besides that it'& 
cold and it's sour." 

On August 19 word came that the Wading River plot had been 
purchased, and on the 23rd the preliminaries had been settled and we 
could start work at once. 

O, days of our Forefathers! Start work in the wildernes a mile 
and a half from a drink of water and as good as a thousand miles from 
anything else. But there is no greater joy on earth than making some- 
thing out of nothing and no keener joy to the masculine partner than 
to be allowed the privilege of demonstrating that the so-called "waste 
lands" of the Island he so dearly loves are productive. 

Next came conferences in regard to clearing. One thing was cer- 
tain, the money expended was as far as possible to be placed in the 
hands of Long Islanders. Second, the method of clearing must be the 
most rapid possible, for Fall was coming fast and crops must be pro- 
duced the following Summer. 



It was not our purpose to cut off the trees and brush and allow 
the stumps to remain six years to rot; nor was it our purpose to attempt 
to raise partial crops in the stump land, tearing the life and heart out 
of man, beast and harness, and profiting but little. 

Thirdly, as the scheme of "ten acres is enough" for a market garden, 
what should be done with the remaining eight? "Make it into an 
experimental dairy and prove that this land is capable of producing 
forage just as well to-day as it did a hundred years ago." 

By this time August had passed, and we were still vainly seeking 
help. Finally, on September 1 we started out from our home town, 
Huntington, with the efficient aid of one colored coachman, who decided 
that it would be fun to go with us and sent word to his employer that 
he would not be home that day. (This we learned later, for we would 
not intentionally have robbed our neighbors.) We were armed with 
an ax, bush scythe, whetstone, snathe and, last but not least, the lunch 
basket. We arrived at the scene of desolation about mid morning. 
Prank was started to work in the northwest corner, while we went 
about among the good trees, tying white rags on the ones to be spared 
the woodman's ax. 

It was evident the house plot must be at the northeast corner, 
for we hold firmly to the belief that in clearing land some trees should 
be left standing for shade about the home and that a person building 
a house in the broiling, baking sun and then planting young trees 
around it is short-sighted indeed and loses the best part of a lifetime 
waiting for them to grow. As a rule the farmer's wife and the house 
take the dregs of the thought and planning expended, and we made 
up our minds that the feminine portion of this farmer's household 
should have some shade and beauty from the earliest days of settlement. 

By careful choosing and much planning, a grove of unmutilated or 
only slightly burned trees was left in front of the house site, a few 
trees indicated the road, and a smaller grove to the south of the house 
site gave slight protection (or I should say future promise of protec- 
tion) from the hot Summer sun; it also furnished an excellent place for 
locating the chicken house and yard. 

The next day Ave succeeded in getting four men, two colored and 
two white: Frank and his friend Steve, while the others came from 
Huntington and Wading Biver, respectively. It was an interesting day, 
while two lunch baskets replaced the one of the day previous. \\'as 
this pioneering? 

"Frank, get in here with that bush scythe and trim out this plot 
where the house is to go," said the Senior Partner. 

"Yas, sir," said Frank, whose smile I am sure will never come off 
as long as his facial elasticity remains. 

A few strokes and the exclamation, "Golly, dis j^ear sweet fern 
and huckleberry am hard cuttin'." 

"Well, suppose jou sharpen the scythe up and see how she goes." 

"All right, Boss, speck dat mought be a good idea." 

"Say, there, George, what are you doing cutting down trees like 



12 



that; didn't I tell you not to touch anything until I gave the word, that 
tree was part of the drive and the only chestnut I had; all right" — as 
a dubious expression came over his face — "you get to work trimming up 
these felled trees and cutting what is good into cord wood." 

And then we sat down together and wept over our lost chestnut. 

"Never mind, you know a cherry tree would be much better than 
a chestnut,"! said. 

"Well, maybe it would, but I wanted that chestnut." 

"Look at Steve, does he think this is Broadway, he's wearing 
gloves and, my gracious, patent leathers also! Great woodmen these. 
No wonder Westerners call it the effete East." 

"Yes, but look at the Captain, he can everlastingly cord wood, and 
no lost motion." 

The next day there was added to our "gang" "Bijah" and "Toot- 
sie" and "Rayme," Avho was familiarly known as the "Pahson," while 
a few more individuals of colorless character but strong on complexion 
completed the "gang." 

Their dinner was a sumptuous meal: coffee, boiled in true wood- 
man fashion, sandwiches galore, bananas and cake. 

They decided staying right there and clearing up the whole ten 
acres was just what they were looking for; that coincided with our 
desires, so they remained. 

We found that as evening approached the "call of the curbstone" 
and street lamp was upon them, so they decided to walk to the 'Port," 
as Port Jefferson is fondly termed. This they did, covering the twelve 
miles on the railroad tracks in due and ancient form, and the return 
tAvelve miles was negotiated by dawn. Next day work was not so 
brisk, but it was some time before we discovered the reason. 

But there was "a grouch on" and complaints started. 

"Mis'r Fullerton, we all ain't gittin' 'nough to eat. Dis year 
san'wich diet ain't no food fo' a working man." 

"Well boys why don't you appoint a cook and caterer, surely one 
of you can get up a meal. You have talked enough about being good 
axmen, you ought to know how to live out of doors." 

So the "Pahson" was made chef. Next day a sumptuous meal was 
in readiness at noon, in fact a trifle before, soup, meat-stew, succotash, 
pie and cake. The usual result of a hearty midday meal was soon 
visible, each man wanted to lie down and go to sleep. 

Then and there we held a conference. The Islanders must be re- 
placed by the manual mainstay of civilization; the sons of Sunny Italy 
must be secured. In the mean time it was decided to remove the stumps 
by dynamite, as trying to yank them out by pullers or by mattock and 
plow was both slow and brutal; as for the ordinary custom of allowing 
nature to work six years at the stumps and gradually eliminate them 
in part by decay was not worthy of consideration. 

Dynamiter Kissam of Huntington was engaged to do the blowing. 
He is a man of calm and serene temperament, steady and careful at 
work, and to be fully trusted. With the approach of his coming, the 




Manual mainstays of civilization 

*'up sleeve" scheme appeared. The editors of all the big New York and 
Brooklyn daily papers and many editors of the prominent magazines 
were to be invited to the spot to see the first stump blown out. 

A good dozen of them made the trip on September 6 and Dyna- 
miter Kissam greeted them with a salute. The first stump was blown, 
shattered to bits and the ground pulverized, leaving a hole thirty 
inches deep and, marvelous to relate, every bit of it beautiful rich 
brown soil with no sign of sand or gravel. The six-inch theory went 
up with the stump. 

It was an interested and interesting party of men. Some of them 
decided to travel as far northward as they could go, others retreated 
in utter confusion, while some remained the safe 200 feet from the 
explosion. 

The universal verdict, however, was that they "would not under- 
take the task of making that wilderness into a market garden for any 
money," and "we certainly had picked out the worst piece of land ever." 
They wished us joy of the experiment. 

By this time the "gang" of Avoodmen had increased to eight, and 
some of their experiences were very funny. 

When the charges had been placed and the usual warning signal, 
"fire!" given, both negroes and white men would fall over themselves 
to get out of the county; which was decidedly unnecessary for the 
explosions were always kept well away from the workmen. 



14 



Shortly after the arrival of the dynamiter came Lorenzo Balzarano, 
a "Corporale" or Italian boss, to look over the work to be done and 
receive instructions, that he might picl^: men best suited to the v^^ork 
in hand. He was a big fellow with a good face and a "job lot" of English 
in his possession. He remained over night, when the following inter- 
esting incident happened. It came to us from the Dynamiter. One 
of the colored men being much infatuated with the cornet and, in fact, 
a village virtuoso, had taken his instrument into the wilds and made 
night hideous with his attempts at imitations of Levy. 

Lorenzo, whose name is shortened and Americanized to "Larry," 
asked if he might try the bugle. This portended huge fun for the 
superior American, so the instrument was gleefully handed over to 
the man they called the "dago." Larry made some noises even more 
startling than Steves, and amid much laughter they endeavored to 
teach him the approved method of blowing. Larry made strenuous 
efforts and finally, rising to his full height and throwing out his chest, 
filled the air with the most beautiful musical calls, running from the 
thrilling call for a cavalry charge, through all the war horseman's life, 
to the last honors given a fallen hero. Never had they heard a pro- 
fessional cornetist strike every note more clearlj^ or with the fervor 
that only the Latin blood possesses. All the American and many for- 
eign army calls were rendered before the men realized that the joke 
was on them. 

"Where did you learn them, Larry?" the Dynamiter inquired. 

"Me in Emperor's bodyguard. Me boss bugler," he calmly 
responded. 

The next day Larry, his brother, Antonio Monteforte (a half- 
brother, evidently), who came in the capacity of timekeeper, and 18 
other Sunny Sons arrived, when the natives were very glad to depart 
to places of beds and indoor meals, sidewalks and continuous half- 
holidays. 

The question of housing the men while at work was a matter that 
early came up for consideration. A shanty is the usual solution, while 
tents might be adopted, or the unsanitary "dug out" mar the land- 
scape. The former was entirely too ugly to suit our tastes; it also 
was expensive, and useless when the men were through with it. Tents 
were rather too airy, as we knew the work would continue until freez- 
ing weather and perhaps well into the winter. We "passed" on the 
"dug out." The ideal as well as the practical was something that 
would be of use after the work of clearing was completed, and for that 
purpose we decided upon "condemned" freight cars. They cost but $10, 
the railroad being glad to get rid of them (a later sale by a big trunk 
line placed the market price at |1.00 each), while the hauling and 
placing cost about |15. For |25 we had a well-built, permanent, and 
the warmest and coolest (because lined and with air space) chicken 
house one could possibly secure. A second car (for two were found nec- 
essary when the Italians arrived), which we planned ultimately to make 
into a hay-loft or feed-bin, was placed to the north of the location se- 



lected for the barn; so that, by building a small barn directly against 
the car, the warmest possible place for animals would be secured. 

These cars were purchased and placed as soon as a clearing could 
be made for them, and the Italians were as happy as kings in a palace. 

One day a long, lanky, seedy individual arrived and asked for 
work, cockney English was rampant within him and he proved to be 
an English '^Navvy" just come over to join his wife, who had been here 
some time; he was cheerfully given work, but we looked for but little 
from him. He proved earnest and eager to learn, therefore of much 
promise. He started a farmer's boy and had run the gamut of "clerk," 
hostler and soldier, finishing as 'longshoreman. 

With the advent of Larry and his swarthy followers work began 
in earnest, for the native helpers had merely succeeded in clearing 
the house plot of trees and taking out dead and crowding underbrush 
in the windbreak which bounded the north and had escaped total 
extinction by fire. 

Beginning at the east line and working westward the Italians 
cleared out every useless tree, catting cord-wood where any could be 
obtained, and burning the branches and charred trees as they went; 
they also cleared out all underbrush, and burnt the ground over 
thoroughly. 

The Dynamiter Avith his helper followed them up. This is by far 
the most exciting and interesting part of clearing land by modern 
methods. The Dynamiter prepared his charges in two ways, one for 
fuse ignition, the other for electric spark. 

The dynamite is put up in half-pound sticks, they are a little larger 
than an ordinary candle and are wrapped in heavy .yellow paraffined 
paper. One folded end of this paper is opened up and a hole made by 
a wooden skewer in the dynamite stick, which is plastic and resembles 
graham bread in color and consistency. 

For magnetic battery work a copper cap containing a minute quan- 
tity of fulminate of mercury, and which requires a spark to explode 
it, is attached to fine electric wires, and sealed by sulphur; this cap 
is placed in the hole in the stick of dynamite and then securely tied 
by drawing string tightly around the paper, which was raised to 
admit the cap. 

In preparing a charge for fuse ignition, the cap is crimped on to 
the end of a piece of mining fuse and this is inserted in the dynamite 
stick and securely fastened as previously described. 

These prepared charges are placed in a basket and carried very 
tenderly to the stumps which have been prepared by the dynamiter's 
assistant. All the work is handled very tenderly and carefully, for 
while there is no danger of an accident unless fire is placed near the 
explosive; extreme caution is used at all times. To handle ex- 
plosives one requires a nature serene, calm and deliberate, which Mr. 
Kissam possesses to a marked degree, and never in all the years he 
has used the dynamite has he become the least bit careless, or ceased 
to regard it with respect. 



Inserting Vt. lb. 
cartridge 




The result 
DYNAMITE CLEARING 



The helper has made deep oblique holes under the stump singled 
out for execution with a round crowbar or chisel-ended piece of pipe. 
This is one of the most important parts of the work. The holes should 
be as nearly horizontal as possible and directly under the stump, that 
all the explosive force may be expended on the wood and not on the 
earth between the dynamite and the stump, for earth acts as a cushion 
and the natural tendency of dynamite to exert force downward is 
accentuated. 

Small stumps up to four feet require about ^ lb,, while large ones, 
say six to eight feet in diameter, require 3 lbs. of the explosive, which 
is placed in several separate holes surrounding the stump. When a 
stump requires separate charges, in order to secure united effort the 
electric spark is used, the wires attached to the sticks of dynamite 
are connected, and this circle of wire attached to battery wire about 
200 feet long. This main wire is stretched to its limit and attached 
to the magneto battery. At the word "fire," the plunger of the battery 
is sent home to the base, closing the circuit and sending the spark gen- 
erated to the caps, thus the several sticks of dynamite are simul- 
taneously exploded. It is a grand and w^onderful sight, and I doubt if 
many women have had the pleasure and privilege of sending the spark 




Blowing by 
battery 



to a stump of live chestnut Avhich measured 7^ feet in diameter and 
in an instant making of a waste place a bit of ground capable of taking 
its place in the world's work and ready to grow many blades of grass 
where none had grown before. 

Fourteen fuse charges are placed under as many stumps; the 
method of placing, by the way, is to lower the charge into the oblique 
hole, press it steadily and firmly with a blunt ended stick until ex- 
panded to the full size of the crowbar hole, then fill up the hole with 
earth and tramp it firmly, that no explosive gases may find a loophole 
of escape. Each loaded stump is then marked by a stick or branch. 



Two men light these fuses, which are cut a thirty-second length 
(about a foot and a half of fuse burns this time). A match is touched 
to each fuse, which has been slightly opened at the end that the 
powder may be exposed and catch fire quickly. When the fourteen 
fuses are all lighted the men take to their heels and flee for their lives. 

They .always reach a distance of 100 feet and often more, for it is 
the longest thirty seconds one can conceive. At the first uplifting noise 
and shock they glance backward, ready to dodge any kindling wood 
coming their way. When they have run a safe distance they turn and 
face the stumps, counting carefully each explosion and watching the 
flying pieces, that they may not be hit. Dynamiter Kissam has never 
had an accident, and I trust he never will. 

Then follows a most delightful Fourth of July firecracker exhi- 
bition on a large scale. Roots are thrown up out of sight and return 
to earth a hundred or more feet from the place in which they grew, 
while the air is filled with minute fragments of wood and powdered 
earth. The record for stump blowing is 130 in one day, when 84 
lbs. dynamite was used. Three men can remove thoroughly one to 
three stumps in one day by the use of the mattox, ax and shovel. 

But to return to the farm. Work pushed steadily on and as soon 
as a small strip was blown, the Italians came in, gathering up all the 
stumps, roots and fragments, removing any pieces that might be 
loosened but not completely torn out and piling them at intervals and 
immediately burning them. This is a process that cannot take place 
when stumps are removed by any other method, for by the digging 



Dynamite beats this 
from all view points 




process the earth must be picked and scraped from them and ulti- 
mately the stumps chopped or split in pieces before they will burn. 

By the method pursued the stump is burned and the ashes spread 
upon the ground in a few hours after they are blown out. By this 
process is obtained the finest kind of unleached wood ashes, nature's 
best fertilizer, containing vegetable lime to "sweeten" and potash and 
phosphoric acid to furnish plant food. 



The two condemned freight cars had been placed in position and 
the Italians made themselves thoroughly at home. In fact, the}^ seemed 
supremely happy there. Larry and Tony had partitioned off a portion 
of their car for a bedroom, while a "hot stove" was placed in the remain- 
ing portion, which served as kitchen and dining-room. 

The rest of the men made bunks along the walls and an '"eat 
stove" filled their cup of happiness to overflowing. We made it a 
custom to say good morning and good night to every man and to learn 
the name of each one; they soon became bright faced, polite, eager to 
please and extremely faithful. In fact, each one came to us asking 
to go out to work there again in the Spring. As the days grew shorter 
they asked to be allowed to make a full day and get full pay. We were 
only too glad to have them do so, but didn't see exactly how they could 
manage it. They were up with the first streaks of dawn and cut the 
dinner time down more and more, working on until it became dark. 

Their meals are curious and interesting: a dish of red peppers and 
half a loaf of rye bread for breakfast, half a loaf of dry bread for dinner, 
and for supper a good pan full of macaroni and beans and tomatoes. 
During all the time they were there they ate no meat and were well 
and happy without it. Tony cut his foot badly with the ax once, but 
kept at work just the same. 

While the work was progressing, much thought had been expended 
upon the soil and its needs. There was no top soil or humus; forest 
fires had robbed the plot completely of this valuable element. 'Tis 
worse than a pity, 'tis unpardonable negligence on the part of land- 
holders to neglect their fire lines. In the olden days ditches were dug 
around all boundaries and were kept free from dead leaves and dry 
matter which would carry fire. Now no one thinks either of ditching 
or keeping the old ditches clean, so that fires starting from a carelessly 
thrown match and various other causes, sweep from the Sound to the 
Ocean, many times utterly destroying small farms and threatening vil- 
lages in their path. 

We Avere thoroughly convinced that the soil contained all the ele- 
ments of plant food and that it was of extremely good quality. Oaks 
and chestnuts will not grow seven feet in diameter unless this be true; 
also it requires good soil to produce a forest with from 300 to 700 trees 
per acre, none under 18 inches in diameter. We also knew that forest 
land is always sour. That is, it has been shaded so much; the sweeten- 
ing powers of sun and air have been denied it. The fact that this piece 
had been burned over aided a trifle, as the sun could reach the soil 
somewhat; further, the ashes produced from the burned stumps would 
help. Long Island wood ashes contain, hoAvever, but about 5% lime 
(the Island having no limestone upon it). Therefore, with these facts 
before us, it was determined to spread half a car load (or 10 tons) of 
old strawy manure to the acre and procure some Canada wood ashes, 
which contain 40% vegetable lime, for use where the soil proved too 
acid. The manure Avas ordered, five car loads, and delivered on Octo- 
ber 3. Tlio Italians proved their interest in the work, and their willing- 

20 



ness and eagerness to help was never better shown than when 18 of 
them unloaded and cleaned two cars (nearly 60 tons) in 59 minutes. 
The three remaining cars were unloaded by 14 men in 2^ hours. It was 
accomplished this way : 



Wood 
Ashes 




Stable 
Manure 



THE ONLY FERTILIZERS USED 

"Larry," said the Senior Partner, "tell the men to unload as 
quickly as they can and I will give them an American smoke. The rail- 
road men say it will take three hours and I do not wish to delay the 
train crew so long." 

"All right. Boss, we see." The word was passed around with the 

above result. 

The box of cigars was delivered; then came the morrow. 

"Good morning, Larry, did the boys like the cigars." 

"Yes, sir, we keep 'em, feast day." 

"But, Larry, were they really good." 

"Yes, sir, not so good like Italian cigar, Italian cigar stronger." 

"What do you pay for yours?" 

"I buy fifty cigar, thirty-five cent, him very good." 

"Are they American?" 

"No, Boss, him come from Italy." 

21 



Never mind, they appreciated tlie gift even though the good 
American cigars did not compare with their thin, black, stogy-like, 
neck-muscle developers. 

A team of horses with wagon, plow and driver was hired from 
the neighboring village of Eocky Point, First was hauled to the north- 
ern boundary all cord-wood the Italians had been able to secure when 
clearing the land of standing timber and underbrush preparatory to 
dynamiting. When this was accomplished, we possessed 18 cords of 
rather small wood; not much for ten acres surely. 

October 4 Mike Cooper (American for Miguel Coperillo) began 
spreading manure on acre 1 and immediately plowing it in. It was 




Breaking the soil 



our intention to sow Winter rye on as much of the land as could be 
prepared before cold weather prevented further work, in the hopes of 
having a few inches of green humus to plow under in the Spring. 

By this time, such a hue and cry went up about the expense of. 
using dynamite for clearing land that we had Larry pick his three best 
men to take stumps out by hand. We chose average stumps for them, 
and the best they could do was one stump each in from 2^ to 3:^ hours 
and requiring the united efforts of all three to roll the root out after 
it was loosened. They succeeded in getting out only the bare stump, 
leaving all roots, large and small, to check the plow and prevent or 
seriously hinder cultivation. 

Dynamiter Kissam, with "Dell" Hawkins' assistance, blew regu- 
larly from 75 to 110 stumps a day. The dynamite splits them so com- 
pletely that they can be burned at once, and in fact one of the unwritten 
laws was that all stumps blown each day should be burned and the 
ashes spread before work stopped. The stumps taken out by hand 
required cleaning, splitting and drying before they could be burned;, 
an added expense. Thus the comparison figures on 100 stumps: 



DYNAMITE. 

Average 60 lbs. Dynamite at 15c. per lb |9.00 

Labor of Expert and Helper 5.50 

100 fuses at 45c. per 100 feet 75 

100 caps at 75c. per 100 75 



HAND LABOR. |16.00 

100 average stumps requires 3 men 33 days at |1.33 per day.|131.67 

Stump pullers were out of the question, there was no standing 
timber for the block and fall to be fastened to, the time necessary to 
hitch to stumps buried just under the surface, frequently with rotted 
heart, together with the cost of the puller, hire of horses and men, 
made it w^ay beyond the power of competing with dynamite. 

The daily bombardments seemed to interest people in the surround- 
ing country very much. When questioned as to what was being done 
at the Experimental Station they would reply: 

"Aw they're plantin' dynamite and raisin' hell and that's all they 
ever will raise." Now that the Farm has raised other than that warm 
locality they say it is "Fullerton luck," but we know better. 

By the 10th of October all the 17 acres had been cleared of under- 
brush and dynamite work was progressing well. F'use gave out, caus- 
ing some delay, as manufacturers are not overly prompt in deliveries. 
Two teams were working upon the cleared section, one plowing, one 
disc harrowing. Following this process came spring tooth harrowing, 
which gathered up the finer roots of sweet fern and huckleberry so 
that they could be piled and burned. 

All this time water had to be carried from the depot, a mile and a 
half away. Two small Italian boys were kept busy all day traveling 



Compared with 

this or teaming 

a driven well is 

economy 




back and forth. A\'ater must be had for the farm, aud it was our desire 
to experiment in a small way with irrigation. There comes a time 
every season when the Eastern States have a drought of greater or 
less duration. A market-gardener should not be at the mercy of the 
elements. There is too much at stake. Then, too, all extra choice 
products should be carefully washed before they are packed. As for 
the actual quantity of water required by plants for their growth, the 
following instances are Yerj convincing: 

To produce one ton of diy oats requires 520 tons water; one ton 
corn, 310 tons water; one ton red clover, 453 tons water. In other 
words, growing plants require 300 to 500 times their dry weight. It 
certainly seems as though water were more necessary than fertilizer 
or anything else but sun and air. 

In the middle of October the well was started; it was located on the 




Looking for water 
gravel 



house plot northwest of the house site. The trees left vacant a circle 
which was an admirable setting for the tank tower and a protection 
both Winter and Summer. Much thought and investigation were 
expended upon the water supply. The well, of course, was a necessity, 
but there was much to be considered in regard to the method of 
pumping. Under ordinary circumstances a windmill would do, but a 
farm should not be allowed to prove a failure for lack of water in a 
droughty season. During the past Summer, that of 1905, a drought 
struck the entire Eastern section of the United States, when vegeta- 
tion was making a strong early growth; as a consequence many plants 
remained practically dormant. In case of drought (and almost every 
Spring or Summer brings one of greater or less duration) water must 
be on hand, and as a drought is usually accompanied by windless 
weather a Avindmill could not be depended u])on. An engine was 
obviously necessary, both gasoliiK^ and kerosene engines Avere closely 

24 



investigated with the result that a "Secor" kerosene oil engine was 
decided upon. This engine starts immediately by lighting a very small 
quantity of gasoline by electric spark, which generates sufficient heat 
to vaporize the kerosene Avhen the engine is shifted to the latter fuel. 
Some kerosene engines must be started by heating an iron ball red- 
hot by means of a gasoline torch, before the kerosene is vaporized; this 
requires oftentimes 20 minutes and more. Gasoline engines are more 
expensive in operation and more dangerous to run; while the kerosene 
engine's first cost is greater it is much cheaper to operate. Anotlier 
advantage of the engine over windmill is that it will furnish power 
for cutting wood or grinding grain, shredding fodder, filling silos, or 
lighting the buildings, a 2 J horsepower engine running 25 16-C.P. 
lights easily. 

The Avell-driller was accompanied by a huge colored man whom the 
Senior Partner immediately dubbed "Big Mice." Alas, he could not 
remain, for there w^as not a house in the neighborhood where one with 
African blood in his veins could get a bed to sleep in. He returned 
home, leaving George, a young Westerner, to do the drilling, with our 
'longshoreman as a helper. It was an exciting time when the well was 
started. It would mean so much to have all the water needed and 
not have to carry it the long distance in small quantities at high cost. 

Then, of course, it permitted of a little sport, and many bets were 
made as to the depth we should strike water. The site was about 100 
feet above the Sound and we deemed tiiat about the depth we should 
have to go. The Senior Partner bet the driller we would strike water 
nearer 90 than 100 feet; the bet was for a hat against a pair of gloves, 
and he was so sure of winning he told me in confidence he had decided 
upon a white "stove-pipe" with a deep well band. 



Runs during 
drought and calm 
when cisterns are 
dry and wind- 
mills fail 




Ah, the tantalizing delays about that well, first the driller ran out 
of pipe, when more came it was the wrong size, an interminable delay, 
and the next lot was cracked. 

Water w^as finally reached at 102 feet (the hat remained a dream). 
A little more drilling to bed the well points and strainer revealed the 
fact that we had struck an infold or overlap of a terminal moraine, 
for the sand instead of being sea-wash running into gravel was as fine 
as emery. It would never do to stop there, for the flow would be slow 
and the sharp stuff would wear the leather cups and brass valves out in 
less than no time. Drilling continued through shallow layers; always 
water in plenty but geological conditions poor. At 149 feet a beautiful 
flow was struck with ideal gravel bottom; we had reached that huge 
subterranean river which lies under Long Island and is a never failing 
source of crystalline water, free from surface drainage, pure and sweet 
for whomsoever cares to tap it. It rose to within 40 feet of the surface 
and was still rising when the pumps were put on and we had the first 
sip — sweet, sparkling, cold (49° F.) — the best drink in the world. Then, 
to test the supply, an eighteen inch stroke was pulled and she never 
"kicked." Now the first turn of the pump throws water into the tank, 
showing that the water stands close to the top of the pipe. 

But to return to the land. Nature smiled her sweetest upon us 
up to October 20, when there was a 24-hour downpour. 

"Now we're up against it, w^e won't get the rye drilled in for a 
week or more and that will be too late to get a good start this year," 
said the Senior Partner. 

"Well if that Farm is anything like our garden you can drill in 
rye to-morrow," I said. 

Hand in hand we traveled forth the next day and there were the 
harrows going merrily over the ground, and though the soil was moist 
it did not cake up a bit. Rye was sown in the afternoon, thus complet- 
ing three out of the ten acres. 

The comparison of plowing this land with land cleared in the 
usual way is interesting. To begin with, the team and driver cost 
$4.00 per day, while they always charge |5.00 per daj' for the land 
when stumps are left in. This land plowed at the rate of 1^ acres a 
day, while tl of an acre is the best they can do in stump land. 




The king stump 1 % ft. diameter after the persuasive effect of dynamite 



26 




" Old times " planting 




20th Century 1 to I methods 



On October 28 I had the pleasure of blowing out our "king" stump, 
a chestnut 7-i- feet in diameter. 

Our neighbors and friends were kind and encouraging, many of 
them came long distances to remonstrate after this fashion: 

"Say, old man (that's not I), we're awful fond of you and you have 
done a lot for the Island. We'd hate to see you ruin yourself. For 
goodness sake give this thing up before it is too late. You know noth- 
ing Avill grow here under three to six years. Honest, old man, we 
mean it." 

Then the Senior Partner would walk around with them a bit and 
they would say, "What's that green over there?" 

"liye." 

"No, go-wan, it can't be!" 

"Go and look for yourself then," he would answer. They went away 
nobler and better men. 

Others would gather in the village stores and decide that we had 
"pizened" the soil with gasses from the dynamite, but as the rye grew 
stronger and greener they said, "Well, anyway, it wouldn't live the 
winter through." 

As the weather grcAV colder the problem of handling the dynamite 
became a perplexing one. It freezes at 44° and we were absolutely 
determined to aet at least 10 acres cleared before snow flew. 




The cold 
weather magazine 



A magazine was made of a large dry goods case and placed in the 
middle of a pile of manure, the opening facing south. The dynamite 
was stored in this, only as much as was needed for immediate work 
being removed at a time. 

"Dynamite camp" was first located in the house plot, but as the 
work moved westward, camp also had to move. Finally we located in 
the windbreak, j)lacing cords of wood to the west, north and east, 



leaving the south open. An old sail cloth was thrown over the wood-pile 
in the daytime, keeping out the winds and making a warm sunny shel- 
tered spot." Here the dynamiters prepared their charges, placing them 
when ready in a small box in the bottom of which was some hot manure, 
a cloth w^as thrown over the top and the lid closed down. Thus they 
were transported safely to the stumps already prepared for charging. 

The acres were cleared up quickly and cleanly, the stumpage run- 
ning from 270 up to 337 on the eighth acre, the ninth numbered 334, 
and when they started blowing the tenth we felt our goal was nearly 
reached. 

Dynamiter Kissam and the "Captain," or "Cap," as Dell was more 
often called, worked harder than ever. They started the acre Novem- 




Lunch in the dynamiter's cord-wcod shelter 

ber 2 and blew 110 stumps that day, the next 97, next 20, next 60, next 
99, but apparently they made no impression upon it. We became impa- 
tient, the Fall was slipping by and that last acre hung fire. 

"Charlie, can't you get someone else to help you, we must get 
this acre and as much of the dairy as jjossible done this Fall." 

"Why, yes, I guess Ed. Underhill of Syosset will help me." 

"Telegraph him, then, and see if he will come out to-night," said 
the Senior Partner. 

The "water boy" carried the message to the depot and "Ed" ap- 
peared on the evening train. My! how those three boys worked the 
next three days, until on the 16th they made a record blow of 160- 
stumps, bringing this acre up to 797 stumps over average size. I blew 



by electric spark the last one, and this 10 acres, up to this time a drag 
upon the community, took its place in the rank of the world's producers. 

Three cheers arose from us all, even the Italians throwing their 
hats in the air, and giving vent to their feelings. 

By this time the plow and harrow were well up to the dynamiter, 
so that the next day saw the 10 acres seeded down to rye and the tele- 
gram that went to the President read like this: 

"Number One's ten acres cleared, plowed, disc harrowed, cross 
harrowed with a spring tooth harrow, and drilled with rye in G4| work- 
ing days from the start of clearing." 

And the answer came: 

"Congratulations." 




30 



Part II 
Winter Work 




Market Garden 



Dairy Section 



^•■.71 



-St- 






">■*_ 



•4- ' 



■-+•■ 



.r^"- 



.A 




Long Island, N. Y. 

\l^ 



Plan of Campaign — Winter Work 



;ij 



Winter Work 

DYNAMITING continued in the dairy section up to the end of 
November. Three acres were completed, but the weather be- 
came so cold it was very difficult to go further. Two acres 
plowed, but no more work could be accomplished here. 

The question of suitable shelter for us and for a man on the place 
came early into consideration. We heard of a five-room portable that 
had been used two Summers on the South Shore Beach, which was for 
sale. It was in good condition, and authorization was given for its 
purchase. 

Immediately we made measurements for a cellar under it, for 
there was urgent need of store room for coal in Winter and provisions 
in Summer. Larry put three men in there, and they seemed to vie with 
each other in quick work; to us the absorbing part was the soil con- 
ditions. Of course all the soil was carefully placed and saved for 
future use; it ran just three feet deep, when sea- wash sand and gravel 
in brown and white strata appeared. This was also kept separate for 
mason work, foundations for roads, and paths. 



Erecting the portable 
house 




In a day the cellar was dug, ready for the erection of the house. 
It came like a pack of cards, was erected in two days by a carpenter and 
his helper, and looked most ridiculous with the windows curtained 
before the roof went on. This is the way it was arranged, leaving out 
a partition at the western end and making four rooms instead of five. 
It was heated by a very small 6-hole "eat stove" and a No. "hot 
stove" in the office. Into this house we put the English 'longshoreman, 
his wife and little girl; they remained all Winter, finding the house 
more comfortable than the average modern frame house. 



33 




Floor Plan 

Early in the life history of the Farm, we roughly sketched the plan 
of campaign, chicken house, barn, house, and well were plotted. Next 
came the orchard, which was to cover an acre of ground. No farm or 
country place, no matter how small, is complete without some fruit; it is 
a permanent improvement, to draw more and more interest as time 
goes by. 

It was our plan to experiment with fruit in this way. Firstly, put 
in many named varieties of many kinds of fruit and find what was 
best adapted to the locality; secondly, to procure the stock from 
widely differing sections, both north and south of us, to see which 
change of latitude would show the greater advantage. 

Many nights were spent poring over catalogues, and at last the 
orders were given, each a duplicate of the other and an accompanying 
letter stating the nature of the experiment, that the stock would be 
planted at the same time side by side. One order went to northern 
New York State, one to southern Pennsylvania. 

Pennsylvania's came first in "coffins," the most ghastly looking 
packages, arriving the day before election day. As Italians would rath- 
er make a day's pay than vote, and further had not registered, we start- 
ed planting on November 7. A privet hedge running along the drive 
road on the barn side was first planted. It was to be allowed to grow 
tall and obscure the barn buildings from the house. A trench was 
dug, some old well-rotted manure (of which a car load was purchased 
as a mulch for the trees and fruit), and wood ashes thoroughly mixed 
in the bottom, and the bushes firmly set, a foot apart. 

Previous to the arrival of the nursery stock, holes had been dug 
to receive the trees. Acre 4 was selected for the Orchard; it was the 
middle acre from north to south, on the eastern boundary and not far 
from the house and on a slight slope. Apples occupied the first row, 
set 25 feet apart, with a peach between each. Peaches last but 12 
years, and will be out before the apples need the room. Next came 
pears, then cherries, with one nectarine and one apricot for trial, next 
quinces, then a quantity of Japanese plums, a few German prunes, 
and greengages. 



The varieties were as follows: 



Apples. 
Red Astrachan, 
Red Bietigheimer, 
Esopus Spitzenburg, 
Northern Spy. 

Raspberries. 
Golden Queen, 
Champlain. 



Gooseberries. 
Downing, 
Industry. 

Moorepark Apricot, 



Cherries. 
May Duke, 
Montmorency 
Ordinaire. 

Japanese Plums. 
Abundance, 
Burbank, 
Satsuma, 
Wickson. 

European Plums. 
Grand Duke, 
Bavays Greengage, 
Monarch. 



Quinces. 
Champion, 
Bourgeat, 
Orange. 

Pears. 
Barlett, 

Worden Seckle, 
Anjou, 
B. S. Fox, 

Currants, 
Fays Prolific, 
White Currant. 



Nectarine. 



Red, white and blue grapes, Catawba, Niagara, and Concord, Rathburn 
blackberries. Palmetto asparagus, Myatts Linnaeus rhubarb and 
Sharpless strawberries from the home garden. 

The holes were prepared with wood ashes thoroughly mixed at 
the bottom, the roots carefully pruned, then set in the hole with plenty 
of room to spread out, and arranged as nearly as possible as they were 
in their original home.. Dirt was shoveled in carefully and slowly, 
while one man tamped gently with a blunt stick in order that the roots 
might be thoroughly embedded and no air spaces left about them. 

When the hole was filled, two short stakes were driven beside the 
tree, one to the east, one to the west, a piece of old garden hose about 
four inches long was split, and encircled about the tree trunk. A soft 
stout twine tied around the piece of hose and extending to each brace 
and back again, held the tree firm so that no amount of wind could loos- 
en the roots. We had the feeling that this work was too important to 
trust to others, but soon found that Larry, Tony and Dominique were 
doing as well as we could ; in fact many of these men showed real talent 
for gardening. Tying was work that woman's hands could do, so 
that was my portion. 

Grapes went in around the chicken yard, currants, gooseberries and 
blackberries, rhubarb and asparagus near them. There are but enough 
of these plants to supply a family's wants. To the north of the 
Orchard and along the eastern boundary, raspberries were placed, 
strawberries next them, leaving a strip in a swale between them and 
the asparagus for the raising of late seedlings. 

By the time these were all in it was well on into November, plow- 
ing continued in the pasture and the Italians mounded earth about 
each orchard tree, making a rain shed and preventing sinking about the 
tree trunk where ice and snow could settle, next they piled a manure 
mulch on this mound, leaving an open circle about each trunk that mice 
and moles might not be harbored and eat the bark. Well we knew it 




Staying the 
fruit trees 



was late for setting out trees and bushes, but also we knew that the 
nurserymen take their stock from the fields, and "heel" them in where 
they can get at them in the early Spring for shipment. To our minds, 
a tree well planted and carefully protected, mainly against heaving 
by freeze and thaw, stood as good a chance or better than one "heeled 
in." Added to that, when planted the roots had a chance to get settled 
and gain a foothold, so that when growing season started (below 
ground long before above ground) their work went on, gaining just 
a year in their growth. All the rest of the stock was mulched, while 
strawberries were covered with strawy compost after a fair freeze. 

The drive and paths were made according to our sketch of the 
early season. First gravel and sand from the cellar was spread and 
rolled with a kerosene barrel filled with stone, next a dressing of loam 
and finally cinders were laid; for this rolling, the well-driver's drop 
weight was borrowed. The road proved permanent, useful and sightly, 
weathering both Winter and Summer well. 

The well being finished, the erection of the tank tower and the 
placing of engine and pump claimed attention. Stone for the concrete 



corner foundations of the tower had to be brought from the beach, the 
entire farm having disclosed four stones, the largest four inches in 
diameter. A large hole was dug, filled with boulders and cement, a 
square casing set above and the concrete poured in. The engine base 
was made the same way and with even more scrupulous care, for we 
were particularly anxious the engine should have a firm foundation. 
All this work was done by the well-driver and John, no experts or high- 
priced men were on the work. The tower went up and waited weeks 
while "tracers" followed the tank from Michigan here. If any manu- 
facturer could delay the work we seemed destined to win the delay. 
Dame Nature was always with us, helping in every conceivable way, 
but man — well, man is dead slow and "bites off ( in these strenuous 
days) more than he can chew,"and often prefers not to keep his word, 
while his contract is seldom lived up to. A carpenter and his boy 
next held sway, enclosing the tower, and building a lean-to for the 
pump head. An engine does its best work when some distance from 
the pump; well rods need raising for new cups and valves once in a 
while, therefore the pump was given a lean-to with trap door in the 
roof for raising the rods. In the upper part of the main tower an office 
was made by laying a floor and erecting the most amazing flight of 
stairs imaginable. The engine was set, the pump head was placed and 
the carpenter and I "lined" the pulleys. "Pennsylvania millions" has 
been the cry. I am sure none of them ever found their way to Experi- 
mental Station No. 1; even if they had there are many things millions 
cannot accomplish. 




The well drillers drop weight made an excellent roller 

37 



At last the tank arrived and was erected; then another delay 
while "tracers" again hunted pump pulleys that had never left the 
factory. It has become a mercantile custom to saddle delay on trans- 
portation companies. 

One grand and never-to-be-forgotten day the engine started and 
pumped the 5,000 gallon tank full in six hours. Hurrah, no more cart- 
ing of water, we need not again think twice before taking a drink or 
washing hands for fear the supply would give out! 




The irrigation trunk line and standards 

The irrigation system had been decided upon. Simple in the ex- 
treme, it consisted of a pipe running from the tower directly south 
through the chicken yard to the seed bed. By the chicken house, it 
took a right angle, running west the length of the 18 acres, again north 
to the northwestern corner, where the dairyman's cottage would ulti- 
mately be. A second pipe was run across the front lawn to the barn. 
All these pipes were laid three feet deep, the work being done by 
the Senior Partner and the Italians, with occasional help from the well- 
driller. About every 100 feet of this pipe length, a standard was 
inserted with a stop-cock at the top; these were for attaching hose, 

38 



for the system called only for a length of hose with lawn sprinkler 
attached. Our idea, proven to our own satisfaction in our own garden 
work, is that plants want their water in nature's way, from above, 
and that it can be applied when the sun is shining just as well as not, 
provided you give them enough, don't just wet the leaves and moisten the 
ground, soak them, it is the sunshower of summertime. 

Well into the Winter work continued, the Italians (now cut down 
to a much smaller force, of course) set fence posts about the entire 18 
acres, and a division fence line between the market-garden and the 
dairy. This was slow and tedious work for the ground was pretty 
well frozen, yet we knew that when Spring opened there would be more 
than all hands could attend to without thinking of fences. 

Nature favored us with an exceptionally open Winter, so that much 
more was accomplished than was expected. Yet what remained to be 
done seemed stupendous and we awaited the opening of Spring with 
bated breath. 

Winter nights found us poring over catalogues of seeds and imple- 
ments, traveling to factories to see these implements made and learn- 
ing their various features, drawing plans for a simple barn that would 
blend into the freight car without looking freaky, plotting the ten or 
rather thirteen cleared acres, that there might be no hitch either in 
ordering seed or planting the same. 

About the middle of January, Teddy, a young Englishman of about 




Flower bulbs and seeds were planted 
when time permitted 

39 



20, appeared, asking for work. He was an artisan's son and had been 
working on Long Island for a year or more; we engaged him gladly 
for the Spring. He found work in the village during the Winter and 
we were ready for his help March 1. 

We had also engaged a Huntington hoj who had worked for us in 
our garden, where many strange vegetables have found a home, to go 
with his wife to the Farm when Spring opened; Mike Cooper, who 
broke up the soil, following the dynamiters closely, begged to become 
one of our force, and as he is a good plowman, farmer, willing and 
quick, we also engaged him for the Spring. 

In January a trench four inches deep had been dug along the 
front fence on the house plot; here we sowed sweet peas, giving them 
a little old manure and plenty of wood ashes. They were covered to 
within an inch of the surface, and instructions given to Mack to fill it 
in before a heavy snow-storm. Alas for the sweet peas, he filled the 
trench with true English thoroughness and but few of them ever came 
through. I think now I prefer Spring planting. Who said, "Sour 
Grapes." 

A pile of "blown" stumps with their long slender roots was piled 
by the drive gate to serve in the future as a nasturtium trellis. Several 
stumps were placed about the trees to serve as seats and flower-stands, 
and as reminders of the past. 

One of the most important portions of Winter work is the making 
of hotbeds for raising seedlings. The barn was not erected at the B'arm, 
and no spot was quite sheltered enough for beds; besides a 'longshore- 
man-sailor-soldier Englishman cannot tend hotbeds successfully. 

"What shall we do?" said the Senior Partner. "We must have 
tomatoes, early cabbage and cauliflower plants. We will have to grow 
them here under our personal supervision and there is only one place 
to put them that is ideal." 

"I know," I replied, "where I raise my early chicks, the warmest 
spot in our home acre. All right, go ahead, we'll sacrifice even chick- 
ens to the success of Number One." 

So John Coddington was at once installed maker and tender of 
hotbeds for Experimental Station No. 1 at Huntington in our own 
home chicken yard. The space admitted of seven sash; a three-foot 
hole was dug, the frame set according to regulations and hot manure 
placed in the bottom. Pine sifted loam was placed over this and 
when the bed had reached the proper temperature radishes were sown, 
for we intended getting one crop of these before tomatoes, cabbage and 
cauliflower took all the room. There were many bunches pulled in 
March when radishes were bringing 25c. a bunch. 

Tomato seed was sown in February in seven varieties: early, me- 
dium and late; pink, red and yellow. In the little conservatory, our 
Winter's delight and recreation, my seed boxes were brought forth and 
planted with asters, pansies, coleus, peppers and cardoon, all destined 
to beautify the house plot about the little homestead in the Wilderness. 
When seeds are sown, Spring begins. 



Part III 
Spring, the Strenuous Season 



Plowing 




Planting 



SPRING, THE STRENUOUS SEASON 



42 



Spring, the Strenuous Season 

SPKING began with us when the ground, even though still hard, 
could be turned over. "Mack," so dubbed to prevent confusion 
with John Coddington, forked the lawn plots about the house — 
the plow had not done any work here, for the trees interfered. It was 
hard work and slow, but brawny muscle and encouragement prevailed. 
A dressing of well-rotted manure and a sowing of ashes had been 
spread for turning under, for we wished to lay special stress upon the 
grass plot. Too many new homes never have one, more's the pity. Of 
course it needed raking after being turned over, and as no rakes seemed 
to grow in scrub oak, the Englishman turned Yankee and invented one. 
He took a board, drove nails through it, fastened it to a stick and pro- 
ceeded to rake; Teddy, for a drag and leveler, tied a couple of cedars 
to a board, which answered the purpose admirably. 

Edward Tuddenham, or Ted, started work March 1, giving us two 
men. Much work on buildings was yet to be done, while two more 
portables of 3 and 5 rooms each were ordered; one was for the helpers, 
the other for our own use. This necessitated moving the seaside cot- 
tage already erected on the house plot farther west — an added expense, 
but one that under the circumstances was unavoidable. 

The tower was still incomplete and the barn unerected. 

March 19 brought with it a corps of four carpenters. I quote from 
the Senior Partner's diary to show that things did not go merrily all the 
time: 

"The four carpenters arrived, with little to eat, nothing to cook 
with and nowhere to sleep. I took out of the chicken-house-car mate- 
rials stored there waiting the arrival of the portable houses, set two 
men to work erecting bunks and tables, while the third returned to 
the city for food supplies." 

It was necessary to keep the workmen there, for distances were 
so great the best portion of a day was used in traveling back and forth. 

Our next few days were spent in getting out orders for vegetable 
plants (knowing full well we could not raise all we should need), and 
various other "knitting work." Receiving word that the carpenter 
who erected the first portable would be there to erect the others (which, 
by the way, had arrived), we returned to the Farm. The first thing 
that greeted us was the barn frame, standing about four feet above the 
car top and big enough for an apartment house. 

"For heaven's sake," exclaimed the Master Mind, "do you think 
we are going to keep giraffes? That thing is big enough for giants. 
Where's the plan? We drew it and sent it in with this roof slanting 
south from the car roof!" 

The drawing was produced, a beautiful blue and white thing by 
expert draftsmen, but the specifications attached did not "gibe." 



43 



To say we "threw fits" draws it mildly. Three men had worked 
three days with second hand extra heavy timber (this is where the 
Penssy was saving a few millions) and this awful nightmare stared 
us in the face. 

"It hoodoos the whole place," I exclaimed. "We might just as 
well not have worked so hard. Telephone (oh, yes, we had a telephone, 
every farmer should, especially if he is far from civilization and the 
base of supplies) to the Engineer's Department and ask them if it can't 
be altered." 

A heart to heart talk with the foreman revealed the fact that his 
instructions were to "Do whatever Mr. Fullerton wants. If he says 
to put the roof on the ground and the floor on top, you do it." 

That was sufficient for us, the roof came down in the world and 
later took its proper place. 

But March was slipping away and there were no horses, and plow- 
ing must start soon! Would that barn ever be built? 




The first 
Thanksgiving 



The Thanksgiving cottage must be moved; for so the first one 
erected was named, from the fact that we took the two children and 
dinner under our arms and spent the day at the Farm. Dinner con- 
sisted of cold boiled chicken — the real kind that you raise yourself, not 
the dormant kind of city life — fried sweet potatoes, which I warmed in 
the little oven (this was before Mack's family had moved in) and pump- 
kin pie. To quote again from the diary: 

"The entire Fullerton family having decided that the small village 
plot was not sufficient in extent to allow their true Thanksgiving 
proper expansion, arranged to take their dinner in a basket and eat 
what was the first Thanksgiving dinner ever eaten, by a white man at 
least, on Peace and Plenty Farm (this is our own pet name for the 
place). The little portable was Avarm and the drawing table supple- 
mented by an extremely low rocker, one extremely high rush-bottomed 



44 



chair, several dynamite boxes and the mattress of a cot bed, made this 
dinner unique in a great diversity of respects. 

"As an appetizer, the orchard and growing rye were found remark- 
able, and the old car which had once served as a refrigerator car on 
the once-famous Long Island-Boston milk train, now almost forgotten, 
gave the children an opportunity which they have longed for, of being 
"real railroad men," utilizing the low platform with its brake as a 
locomotive of express speed. 

"By means of an object lesson, consisting of peanut brittle, figs, vel- 
vet molasses and a very careful and lengthy explanation, the Italian 
gang were made at last to understand what the American Thanksgiv- 
ing was about, and finally by combining Spanish with English, reward 
was secured and some feast day called 'Succore' held in Italy was dis- 
covered, this evidently being a day of similar meaning to the Italian 
race." 

And I might add that every man jack of them later passed the 
door, raised his hat and said "T'ank you, boss." Boss to them is fem-« 
inine as well as masculine. 

But to return to the march of events. Thanksgiving cottage was 
moved, a new one erected over the cellar, and the three-room farther 
west in the windbreak. We selected as much tree shelter as we could 
for each cottage, knowing the shade would be welcome during the heat 
of Summer. 

Shelves were put in for clothes, books, etc., while kitcUfen cup- 
boards, diminutive pantries and table shelves made the kitchen arrange- 
ments of two cottages complete. We were to eat in the office end of 
Thanksgiving cottage, for six of us were to sleep in the four-room 
"Homestead." 

Pruning time was here, so we sallied forth to see how our orchard 
fared. With fear and trembling we went over it; returned rejoicing 
in the fact that not a tree was dead and even this early (March 22) 
they showed signs of awakening. 



Potted tomatoes 
awaiting transportation 




45 



Rain, sleet and snow now prevented outdoor work; there was 
plenty inside, however, and the carpenter's hammer still rang. The 
last day of March being clear, we set out some dormant plants about 
the house-plot: roses, ornamental grasses, iris and such things. 

At home the tomatoes had grown strong and sturdy; we were giv- 
ing them all the air possible to keep them stocky, and now they needed 
transplanting. Potted plants fruit much earlier than unpotted ones; 
early fruit brings the highest price: ergo, ours should be potted. John 
and I set to work, making the chickens' scratching house our workshop. 
A case of paper pots was to our hand; some earth from the hotbed and 
the seedlings completed the outfit. John filled the pots, I set the 
plants, a whole day and they were not done yet; another half-day and 
we had the bed's capacity filled, 1,300 pots returned to the frame to 
await warmer weather for transporting. We were rather proud of 
that bunch. For several days they were kept well watered, shaded 
and cool, until the fine roots should have gained a new foothold. Cab- 
bage and cauliflower were thriving, though not to our liking, tomatoes 
need heat, the others cold, so the latter were being somewhat coddled. 

April first and the barn not yet complete. There was only one 
thing to do, coax Neighbor Robinson to rent us his team again until 
we could get our horses. On the 2nd plowing started on acres 1 and 2. 



Rye was 1 5 inches high when we began 
to turn it under, and 39 inches at the finish 




The rye was 15 inches high — alas for the prophets — and was being 
turned under to do untold good. Fine roots of huckleberry and sweet 
fern still kept coming up and we knew the fight with them was des- 



4« 



tined to be a long and hard one. The harrow gathered them up some- 
what, but still they were obstructionists. 

The annual forest fires started to the west of us; strenuous effort 
on the part of all the force of workmen saved that section of the Island 
from again burning over; a second fire a few days later with a westerly 
wind met its own defeat against the fence of the cleared land of the 
Experimental Station. 




The forest fire meets civilization and defeat 



By the end of the first week in April work was swinging at a 
rapid pace, land was being plowed as fast as possible, the stable nearly 
complete, so that on the 7th the two "condemned" express horses (con- 
demned because their feet were worn out by city pavements and for 
no other reason) arrived. Great big beautiful fellows, one a gray with 
a little Percheron in him immediately named "Buckeye," while the 
other, a Roman-nosed buckskin, received the name "Texas," in recog- 
nition of his ancestry. 

Horse and hand implements were being assembled, these consisted 
of Planet Jr. one horse cultivator, horse leveler, hand drills, hand cul- 
tivators, a roller and a plow. 



47 




Arrival of Buckeye and Texas 



Three plum trees were heeled in in the Fall and saved for Spring 
planting, for comparison with the Fall planted stock; these were now 
set out, two in the chicken yard, one near the little cottage. 

On the 11th grass seed was sown about the house plot, a mixture 
of Burpee's "Fordhook Famous" and his "Shady Nook." It was 
brushed in with the cedar trees. To the southwest of the house a 
small plot was sown with U. S. Government grass seed ; a row or Hari- 
cot Beans, also from the Government, bordered it, so it became known 
as "Government plot." Some plants with lovely copper tags bearing 
enormous numbers were also planted here; they throve well but things 
without a name are never as sweet to me as ones with names, even 
when indefinite Latin. 

As the land was finally prepared for seeding, it was done in this 
manner. Rye turned under with the plow, followed by disc harrow, 
followed by spring tooth harrow, followed by leveler, Avhich, by the 
way, is one of the best and least appreciated or used of farm imple- 
ments. It levels uneven spots, breaks clods and pulverizes the soil. 

The "gude mon" came home and said, "Those cussed wiry huckle- 
berry roots are still so thick, I don't see how the hand drills will ever 
work among them. We simply can't spare time to rake them out by 
hand." 

"Why don't you borrow a regular horse hay rake, I should think 
that would clear them up a bit." 

"Level head," he exclaimed. We borrowed a rake and it worked 

48 



Raking and burning the fine roots of underbrush 




like a charm, two car loads to the acre of those "cussed roots'' came 
out and were promptly burned. 

April 14 was ushered in with a light white frost, but hand drills 
started early and by night four varieties of radishes, covering half an 
acre, and three varieties of peas had been planted, also Sakurajuma — 




Drilling in first crops 

49 



a Japanese radish. The drills worked hard and unevenly, going into 
the soil deep, then cheeking against roots. A two-man method was 
invented, one pulling with a halter, the other pushing. But the men, 
John and Ted, soon found they could work them alone. 

In going over the diary for April, one's head fairly spins with 
the work accomplished. Plants were removed from Huntington to 
the Farm, tomatoes were placed in the implement shed until a cold- 
frame could be built to receive them. Cabbage and cauliflower were 
set at once in the field, being covered Avith paper pots for a few days 
to prevent wilting, and sometimes at night to guard against cold. 

Lettuce, beets, onions, spinach, parsnips, endive, scorzonera, celery 
(in the seed bed) and corn were drilled in by the little Planet Jr. hand 
drills, those exquisite little time-savers. 

As an illustration of the work they will do in this new ground it 
required 25 minutes to plant 8 rows of parsnips, each row 100 feet long. 

To plant three rows each of four different varieties of lettuce con- 
sumed 45 minutes and this of course meant empty and fill the drill for 
each new variety. 

Lettuce plants and cabbage plants from a Huntington grower were 
set out (Ave wished to test transplanted lettuce with that grown in 
drills and only thinned). Chives, shallots, Pe-tsai, carrots and radishes 
from North China were all sowed. Udo, the Japanese celery, was 
planted to the east of the raspbeiTies. 




Taking no chances 

with the San Jose 

Scale 



On the 21st all trees and shrubs were sprayed with "Scalecide," 
as a preventive against the San Jose scale. To do the orchard and 
berries required 1 hour and 15 minutes and 8 gallons of the mixture 
(1/3 gal. scalecide at GOc. per gallon); not a very costly ounce of 
prevention. 

A poi-tion of the lawn was sprinkled as a first test of irrigation. 
On the 26th of April the grass seed had germinated on this portion only. 



Potatoes were planted this month — nine varieties, as a test of their 
earliness, productiveness and qualities. 

On the night of the 22nd the "hustler" came home and exclaimed: 
"A plum is in bloom." 

"Where? In our garden?" 

"Our- garden nothing, No. 1 of course." 

"Why it can't be," I exclaimed, "you know they really ought not 
to be alive and they can't bloom the first year." 

"I don't care, it's in bloom and a lot of the others show fruit buds." 

"Whose trees? New York or Pennsy?" 

"Pennsy, all their trees are way ahead, they're alive to the tips 
and some of them are in leaf, while New York's are only in bud, with 
no fruit buds, and many of the branches have died back three or four 
inches," he replied. 

"Score 1 for No. 1," I said. Everyone said you should move stock 
south to have it produce earlier, but we knew that Pennsy's stock 
stood the better chance, for they showed more careful packing and the 
trees looked sturdier. Anyhow, no one can say they did not have a 
fair show, for they were warned of the contest and came prepared 
to meet victory, defeat or a tie." 

Chill drizzly weather now prevented further planting afield. A 
cold frame was erected in the lee of the barn and tomato plants trans- 
ferred there. They were showing the need of overhead light, although 
still stocky and strong. Rain, however, rushed vegetation along and 
rhubarb and Udo jumped out of the ground like a "Jack in the Box." 

The painters were busy on all buildings, while the homestead 
was being completed and furnished for our occupancy, for the farm 
needed us every hour, day and night, this its first tender year. The 
call of its tender youth was strong upon me, for I adore babies of 
every description, but the dear old home must first be placed in good 
keeping before I could fly. 

The ofiice completed and desk in place, the stenographer took up 
her abode at the Farm with our English family, helping until I came, 
with the daily records of the multitude of things accomplished each day. 

To quote from the diary, April 30: 

"More lettuce, spinach and salsify up and apparently glad it 
came. Brought further live stock to the Farm in the shape of two 
setting hens. (This was my scheme, I wanted young chicks, could not 
set the hens at home and being afraid the trip would "break them up," 
I put each hen in a box with hay and three china eggs under her. They 
traveled the 33 miles setting all the way. I doubt if anything could 
have disturbed them Avith the eggs under their breasts. Wonderful 
nature of motherhood!) 

"Set out 880 cauliflower from the hotbed. 

"Being unable to secure plumbing experts, made a practical 
demonstration that an English soldier and an American cowboy could 
cut pipe and affix fittings without stupendous difficulty, and further 
make absolutely tight joints." 



61 




Setting out plants 

This same "skilled labor'' (uoii-iiuion men, however) made for us 
the "dandiest" little bathroom ever a farm beheld. Beside the pump- 
head in the lean-to was a space about six feet long and three feet wide. 
This was boarded in, a cement floor laid slanting to one corner; pipe 
run through and tap attached. A tiny bathtub was placed across the 
end of the room, a two-hole oil stove back of it and raised on boxes 
to the level of the tub. A wash boiler with brass spigot in its side near 
the bottom crowned the stove and here was the hot water supply. No 
one could ask for a better bath, and the cowbo3'-soldier combination 
made it all after the strenuous outdoor daj work was done. 

Lima beans were planted on the last day of April, although I be- 
lieve the proper old-fashioned time is the afternoon of the 29th of May, 
or some such jargon. 

We were also utterly disrespectful of the light and dark of the 
moon. All root crops being in our forefathers' day planted in the 
"dark" and all upper crops in the "light." To us, nature's signs are 
the best; when the maple is in bud, in leaf and in bloom are sure signs, 
for she never makes a mistake. Her chats with "Old Prob." are in a 
better and surer language than ours. 

April gone! with its sweet odors nowhere so sweet as on new land 
surrounded by w^oods, rapid growth, continuous surprises. The month 
of tears and sunshine — and strenuous work. 



52 



May day started with the planting of corn and beans, finishing the 
last cleared acre of the dairy and re-sowing celery in the seed bed. 
This seed-bed was one of the Farm's semi-failures; we selected a plot 
to the south and east of the chicken yard, warm and protected. It was 
forked over with a goodly quantity of manure and raked as fine as 
possible. • Somehow it baked, and celery being so slow to germinate 
(three weeks), the surface could not be broken. It needed old, light, 
friable black soil such as we should have had if forest fires had not 
robbed us. Too much care cannot be expended on a seed-bed and a seed- 
bed is one of a farm's most valuable adjuncts. 

Cultivation started on the 4th of May; peas and radishes being far 
enough advanced to have the Planet Jr. hand cultivators run through 
them. The rows were rough, crooked and irregular, showing plainly 
where the drill, running into a bunch of roots, had choked, and, being 
released farther on, dropped the accumulated seed. Peas did not show 
this irregularity as much as radishes, but we were content when we 
saw the seed coming along in the bare spaces a little later, for we felt 
we would have a succession just as good as a second planting. Our 
surmise proved true, for radishes continued maturing for one month. 

The 5th was lost in a big sea fog, that great factor in Long Island's 
agricultural success. They steal in during the night at frequent inter- 
vals, covering leaves and soil with a soft salty film of moisture, giving 
a crispness and freshness to foliage which inland plants are denied. It 
is no wonder cauliflower is so happy on the Island. 

On the acres not needed for early planting the rye was allowed to 
grow as long as possible. It ran up to 34 and 39 inches on some acres, 
with signs of early and full heading, which proved to our entire satis- 
faction that a rye crop on newly developed land would be a paying one. 

On the 7th the Diary says: "Set out 100 Long Island Beauty 
Cauliflower between the rows of Extra Early Peas. Asparagus up, 
potatoes up, red and orange carrots from North China up, artichoke and 
kohl rabi up and nectarine in bloom." 

John was working on the Farm by this time, although his 
wife and family (consisting of one cat and a few pet house plants) 
had not yet arrived. This made three men on the 13 acres, not quite 
as much help as one would expect Pennsy. millions to employ. 

Canada wood ashes with the 40% vegetable lime had arrived and 
we sowed them where we felt they were most needed; about the house 
plot principally, for this section had received next to none of the native 
ashes. Acre No. 3 in the dairy also received 200 lbs., for it was newly 
plowed in the Spring and had received no manure whatever. We knew 
the ashes could not make up for the manure humus, but we wished to 
do the best we could for the poor thing. 

"I'm awfully sorry about that acre," the Senior Partner said. 

"But just think what a beautiful test of the soil's capabilities," I 
replied. "We'll see what she'll do unaided and alone." 

About this time Mr. Peters made the Farm a visit. One of his 
first exclamations was: 



53 



"O, Mr. Fullerton, where are the nasturtiums for these roots? 
You're late, ours at home have broken ground." 

He was led to the cold-frame where mine in pots were making 
trellises of the tomato plants. 

"All right," he said. "You'll win." 

That night w^e moved out. The children, the cat, the faithful nurse 
and I. Our baggage was in boxes made to roll under the beds, for the 
economy of space was to be a large feature. Put four people to sleep 
in a room 12x12, two of them active, healthy children, and every inch 
of room must be utilized to the best advantage. These boxes were 
on ball-bearing castors and had a good handle on the front of each, 
they rolled out easily and held our simple country wardrobes to 
perfection. 

The next day being balmy, my first task was to set some pet plants 
of forget-me-nots from the home acre in a bed to the east of the house; 
asters, pansies coboeas and the nasturtiums were also planted, giving 
us the nucleus of a flower garden. 

Black beetle had attacked the tomatoes in full force, where these 
and all the rest of the pests known to creation came from is a mystery. 
Everyone said we would at least be free from them, but we were fore- 
armed and had a quantity of "killers" on hand. 

A heavy sifting of fine coal ashes saved the tomatoes, but they 
simply ate every eggplant during the night. They are about the 
meanest, peskiest little creatures aliA^e. 

There was thunder on the 18th, and we decided it was about time 
for tomatoes to go afield, they had long outgrown the cold frame and 
the "Earliest Pinks" were in bud. 

Some lettuce, Brussels sprouts and flowering plants came from 
a big commercial grower in Maryland; they arrived in such bad condi- 
tion that the sprouts were absolutely worthless, a few lettuce were 
planted on "a chance," but soon gave up the ghost. The flower plants, 
a few geraniums, hollyhocks, perennial phlox and chrysanthemums 
were packed better and did well during the Summer. 

We were hearing tales of woe from our neighbors about the frost 
on the 11th. 

"Well, I suppose you lost everything the other night, Neighbor 
Fullerton?" they would say. 

"Why, no, I can't see that anything is harmed except the tips of 
the leaves of the corn and the Moyashe Udo." 

"Corn! You ain't got corn planted yet, have y'u, why we're just 
aplowin'?" 

"Yes, I went up on the tank tower yesterday and I see we're just 
about two weeks ahead of jou," he said. 

"But didn't you lose your beans?" the neighbors queried. 

"Beans, bless your hearts, no, my beans aren't up yet. What are 
you planting beans for in April? Why don't you plant radishes and 
peas and cabbage and cauliflower and such things, that don't mind 
frost?" 



64 



"Well we thought we'd beat you tarnal book formers and have our 
beans up ahead of your'n, but 1 guess you've got the best of it." And 
they disappeared utterly disgusted with our "book farmin'." 

"The trees are in leaf, it's time to plant squash and pumpkin and 
cucumbers," said I. 

So in they went, while caladium, gladiolus and oxalis were added 
to the house plot. Wild cucumbers, that rapid climber with its pretty 
feathery white blossom and queer prickly seed pod, were planted 
wherever we could find a place for them to climb. 

Then the crows began to talk and we heard them deciding that 
we were now a portion of civilization, while the cabbage and cauli- 
flower butterflies were so delighted to find a new farm, they decided 
not to fly farther 

The fields were rough, and it was next to impossible to plant m 
straight rows, in some cases we were forced to make a drill by hand 
and plant by hand, at other times a furrow was opened by hoe and the 



Cauliflower from the hot 

bed, protected by 

paper pots. 

Plowing for potato 
planting 




seed drill run upon it. In other places the horses plowed a furrow, hand 
planting following. Certain it is whatever method was pursued the soil 
responded and the plants were just as happy crooked as straight. 

On the 16th we shipped the first product of the farm— a bunch of 
radishes to Mr. Peters. He is the Fairy Godfather and always receives 
the first or the biggest, as the children say. They were as anxious 
for him to have it as we were, and the first of everything from their 
own wee gardens was religiously sent to him. 

On the 21st the Suffolk County Press Association held their annual 
meeting at No. 1. They dined out of doors "al fresco," eating of the 
radishes growing not a dozen paces away. To them the Farm was a 
revelation, for all of them were familiar with the vast tracks of unused 
lands and to them it meant a new era for the Island they are all work- 
ing for so earnestly. 



55 




Gathering the first crop — radishes 



To quote from one of the number: 

WONDERFUL LONG ISLAND SOIL 

H. B. Fullerton Shows Newspaper Men Marvelous Results 

from Scientific Use. 

Long Island soil is adapted to the growing of all kinds of fruit 
and vegetables in a degree that is only just beginning to be realized. 
It has long been a popular superstition that the island was a barren 
sand waste, which could grow only marsh grass, and that none too 
profusely. There are still a very few people outside of the island 
who believe it can grow more than pound for pound of vegetables to 
bone fertilizer. It is safe to say that there is not a baker's dozen of 
people in all of New York City who know the imlimited possibilities 
of the Long Island soil. 

A day of awakening is near at hand, however. A man keenly alive 
to the real agricultural situation on the island (his name is H. B. ful- 
lerton) has come into contact with a man keenly alive to the promising 
future of all of suburban New York; and the result is that the island 
will be developed Avith intelligence and patience along the very lines 
which Nature designed for it. 

Ralph Peters is the president of the Long Island Railroad and 
the man who is alive to the promising future of the suburbs of New 
York. When Mr. Fullerton, who can give the author of "The Simple 
Life" cards and spades in "getting back to nature," showed Mr. 
Peters what he had done in a small way with Long Island soil on his 
own place at Huntington, Mr. Peters said, "Fullerton, you can doubt 
theories; but these are facts," or words to that effect; and became so 
possessed of an enthusiasm for Long Island soil that he was not satis- 

50 



fied until the railroad itself had taken hold of the task of demonstrating 
the soil's productiveness. 

Well, the railroad has the task well under way; and you wouldn't 
believe, unless you had seen, what has been accomplished since last 
fall. 

Ten acres of what were then virgin, tangled, oak land, a little at 
the .west of the Wading River station, the last station on the Port Jef- 
ferson branch of the road, are now vmder cultivation and growing al- 
most every conceivable kind of fruit, vegetables and flowers. Think 
of it! It was the despised "Long Island scrub oak land" last fall! 
And now it is under cultivation and bearing the tenderest of garden 
truck. 

"Why, certainly," many a scoffer has been heard to say about it, 
"the experimental farm had the dollars of the railroad back of it to 
buy fertilizer with. Of course you can make thirty cents grow if you 
plant a double eagle." But the joke is on the scoffer; for this rich 
little farm, which has been growing only trees, moss, huckleberry vines 
and rattlesnakes since Columbus came over on the Hamburg-American 
or whatever line of steamers it was and nominated himself for discov- 
erer of America, this little farm has not used an ounce of that sup- 
posed cherished necessity of Long Island farming — bone fertilizer. 
Mr. Fullerton knew that the use of it would sound the death knell to his 
enterprise. 

The land was freed from stumps and the stumps were burned on 
the place. On one acre there were over seven hundred of them. The 
wood ashes were left on the ground and the ten acres which were 
cleared were sowed with rye, which in the spring was plowed under. 
Then, in planting the peas, radishes and what not, very poor horse 
manure was used. So much for fertilizer, fish, bone and every other 
kind — except water ! 

And there is the secret. There's water enough on Peace and 
Plenty farm. There's a little kerosene engine, which pumps it up from 
the earth and fills a tank. Cheap iron pipes carry it to the farm; and 
there isn't a piece of the land that cannot be reached by it. Old Sol 
can beat down as he will, and Jupiter Pluvius go on as prolonged a 
spree as he will, and neglect his business: the crops will grow because 
they have the water. It is cheap irrigation, too. Here, again, the 
"money bags" of the railroad have not been foolishly opened. The 
method of keeping the crops wet is such as any bright young man 
might go into as an investment on his farm. 

Everything on the farm is practical; and every effort has been 
made to make the place a working model which a business man could 
copy. The aim has been to make it an economical market-garden, 
growing the finest of produce on "Long Island's barren sand wastes," 
to put on the breakfast and dinner tables of that great mart of all 
marts for fresh vegetables and fruit — New York City. 

The Long Island Railroad invited the members of the Suffolk 
County Press Association to inspect the farm on Monday and placed a 
private train of two cars at their disposal. Mr. Fullerton was the 
host in charge, on the train and on the farm, assisted at the latter place 
by Mrs. Fullerton, who is, herself, an authority on horticulture. 

A dinner was served under the trees on the farm on the arrival of 
the train about noontime. About twelve of the Island scribes spent one 
of the most enjoyable days of their lives on this occasion; but, more 
important, were impressed as never before with the possibilities of 
Long Island soil. 

— Amity ville Record, May 25, I906. 

57 



A drought was starting, warm high winds were blowing steadily 
day and night, a more trying condition could not be found. The irriga- 
tion sprayers were started in the peas, radishes and lettuce, still they 
did not respond as we wanted them to. 

"Try some nitrate of soda and see if that will give them a boost," 
I said. 

"I hate to do it," the Senior Partner replied, "for I know as well 
as anyone they need cultivation they have not received." 

"Would you mind telling me where anyone has had time to culti- 
vate anything? Take three men on 13 acres of new land and plant 
everything ever heard of and some that never were and there is no 
time left for cultivation," I exclaimed. "We know they need cultivation 
and a lot else needs it, too, but we can't have an ideal market-garden 
here this year. Look what the soil has done already." 

On the 23rd John mixed some nitrate of soda with earth, half and 
half, and sowed it beside the peas, lettuce, cabbage and cauliflower 
(cauliflower between the peas, I mean, only 100 plants). 

That was 60 lbs. of nitrate, the only fertilizer the crops ever had. 
Still we kept the sprayers going, for the drought lasted until the 2nd 
of June, but peas yielded, radishes were so thick there was not force 
enough to gather and ship them, while lettuce began heading up in 
excellent shape. 

The last of May gave us the first discord in our Farm family. A 
woman we had befriended had been growing grumpier and grumpier 
for some time, while a member of her family was often sullen and 
morose. A cloud-burst was soon to appear, we felt the human thunder 
in the air. 

At last the pleas from her "that there was more than one pair 
of hands could do," although she had been working for a much larger 
family, decided the question. She was either to stay under the same 
conditions without further trouble from her, or go. Go it was, and that 
promptly on June 1. 

The last day of May the man boarded the train for New York with- 
out leave. The Master ordered him back from Port Jefferson on the 
grounds of desertion. He did not return and the woman disappeared 
that afternoon, returning about 9 P. M. in a disturbed frame of mind. 
The secret was out. The man returned the following night in upset 
condition, announced himself a deserter not only from the Farm but 
also from the English army and that he was a dangerous man gener- 
ally. Amid storm and much unpleasantness and many more incidents, 
the episode, although closed, left with us a feeling of regret for a man 
who just missed being a useful and fine member of the community. 
Powerful, well built, willing, obedient, faithful, many fine traits, all 
spoiled by one weakness. 

Yes, we had our troubles. But Mike was with us now, loyal and 
faithful, though three hands for these 13 acres was short help. 



68 



Part IV 

Summer 



Six rhubarb stalks 5 pounds 




The nail keg induced stalk growth 




The "Litdest Girl* 

finds the first pea 

blossom 



60 



Summer 



T 



HE first day of June and I am going to invite you into tlie dairy 
with me. 
A walk from the front gate where the lawn was showing 
green, flowers growing happily and vines beginning to climb; past or 
through the little portable with its books, pictures and atmosphere of 
a busy life, out to the drive-turn where, in the middle was my vegetable 
flower bed. Here scarlet-runner beans were starting up the young oak 
saved from the fire's destruction. Cardoon around the tree, now borage 
with its large hairy leaves and a tuft of buds in the center, then pep- 
pers and a large circle of rampion gorgeous with its delicate violet 
bells and parsley bordering the bed. 



The chicken house 




Down the middle road (which by the way is not in the middle but 
one-third the distance from the North to the South fence) past the 
chicken house where the fowl were happily ensconced, a glimpse of 
rhubarb raising its enormous leaves above some kegs and boxes placed 
about the crown. 

To the left the orchard, every tree showing rich foliage of superb 
color, here an apricot standing out with its exquisite pinkish leaves, 
there a cherry almost black with intensity of vigor. The tomatoes be- 
tween the rows of trees showing at a glance which were potted and 
which from a nurseryman's seed bed, the former erect, sturdy, keeping 
right on with their life's work; the latter drooping, wilted, making a 
hard struggle to gain a foothold. 

To the right the lettuce drilled in, emerald green and reddish 
brown, peas dwarfed yellowing showing the need of an experimenter's 
mind and care in their behalf, radishes in the distance, rows upon rows 
of them, with transplanted lettuce in every third row (this plot was 



singled out for super-intensive cultivation). Next beets with tops of 
rich red and sombre green growing in ragged rows, more coming up 
each day telling again of a prolonged successive yield, then onions tel- 
ling the same story with cabbage plantlets from a Huntington grower 
in the background. 

To the right an unplanted acre, heaps of old manure dotted upon 
it; this is to be the melon field, near the house and in full view of our 
buildings, a wise location for melons. Next this field the potatoes with 
a small boy, can in hand, picking the "potato bugs." The leaves show 
where Bordeaux and Paris Green had been applied the day before, but 
the Colorado beetle cared naught for its presence. 




Dusting potatoes with 

Bordeaux and 

Paris Green 



The next acre shows queer patches of early cauliflower, early 
corn and parsnips — a sad tale the cauliflower tells of being raised with 
the heat loving tomatoes and then no one to cultivate it when it had 
been set out but a few days. Here and there a huge one of superb 
color proclaimed where a bonfire had burned last fall telling better 
than words the value of wood ashes upon new land. To the right of 
the road, the last acre before the dairy gate is reached, a patchwork 
quilt of true market-garden type. First some beautiful cabbage plants 
of early Jersey Wakefield and All Head, grown in the same hotbed 
as the caulifiower but feeling the change much less; behind it a patch 
of tiny feathery carrots, the pride of its planters' hearts because "old 
farmers" had none this year. Beside it oyster, green and white endive 
with its three shades of tender green; next salsify and scorzonera 
looking like rows of grass. Nearer to us and next the road a big patch 
til at should have been spinach, but a few plants however proclaimed 
the intent of the plot. Little harm was done by its loss, it required 
but thirty minutes to plant it and but a few more cents for seed and 
we knew for another time it was unwise to plant it in April, the plot 
was ready to receive another crop with but small work of preparation. 
A tiny patch of corn planted April seventeenth showed more than ever 



the effects of May's frost; an interesting experiment however that 
should have the benefit of all the time needed to prove itself. Brus- 
sells sprouts had been set between the hills, making the patch, we 
hoped, a little more productive. Alas for our hopes, these plants 
came from the same nursery in Maryland as the lettuce, and brought 
with them blight and cabbage louse, an act that should no more be 
tolerated than the shipment of orchard trees infested with San Jose 
scale. 

We reach the dairy line, John, Ted ajnd Mike are at work upon 
Acre 1 to the right. The acre is divided into quarters and being pre- 
pared to receive alfalfa. The field has already been plowed, dressed 
with Canada wood ashes, harrowed, leveled, rolled, harrowed and har- 
rowed again, raked and again rolled in order that the soil might be in 
the best possible condition. We have brought with us some Litmus 
paper, and to test the acidity of the soil, a handful is moistened at a 
nearby irrigation stand-pipe and the paper applied. Anxious watching 
and it slowly turns blue. 

"All right," calls the Parmer, "sow that soil carefully John in the 
northeast quarters and don't let any lap into the other quarters. When 
you come to harrow it in Mike, let Ted go with you and lift the harrow 
from quarter to quarter so no earth will be dragged." 

The soil? That is from an old alfalfa field up New York State 
and we are sowing it to innoculate our soil with bacteria. The far or 
northwest corner is the highest you notice, it is the check quarter, that 
will have no innoculation whatever. The southerly are U. S. quarters, 
one will have the seed, and the other both seed and soil innoculated 
with bacteria culture from the U. S. Government Laboratories; this is a 
test for Uncle Sam. 

The acre across to the left is divided in half; this is the poor thing 
that was not plowed until this spring. Isn't it rough and aren't the 
rows crooked? Teosinte, the Japanese fodder that can be cut four 
times in a season, won't care. See, it's breaking ground. Yesterday 
they sowed the other half of this acre with Japanese barnyard millet. 

And this? O yes, white flint corn, beyond sorghum, and still 
beyond, Virginia horse tooth. They were planted the twenty-sixth 
and of course are not up yet. 

"Why do we plant in hills?" you ask. "Isn't that old-fash- 
ioned?" Perhaps, but a good fashion, for the crop can be cultivated 
both ways by horse, saving that tremendously expensive item — hand 
labor. But why do you raise corn here, you query, you thought that 
was given up in the East long ago. 

We are not raising corn, we are raising silage. Here at the end 
of the road in this protected swale will be the cow barns and silo, all 
these crops will be gathered for the silo, for modern dairymen carry all 
food to the cows in balanced rations. Come and see us again when 
these crops are growing. 

Here you see the rough unstumped land and there the "Daddy- 
long-legs" harrow with which the attempt at culture was made. We 

63 







Sowing and harrowing 
June 1 St. 



Mowing August 13th 
28 inches high 




Baling for compact 
storage 




Hauling it in 
Aug. 14th. 



THE ALFALFA STORY 



64 



m 


K^ 




^ .% '•■ , ■ .. : • 








^^^H 




y-^^H 




,^- - ^S:*^^ 



Abandoning the " daddy-long-legs" harrow 

have tried it, the work is tremendous, the strain and liability to injury 
to horse astounding, while the results amount to naught. We are put- 
ting in Canada field peas and cow peas, but the chances of germination 
are small because it is impossible to cover the seed. 



^j^% '/ ■ 


^^^'* 









Experimental Station No. 2 in the "Pine Barrens'* 

65 



Let me take you back through the south of the Farm. Here is 
the black Mexican corn, the sweetest and weirdest of all the sugar 
corns. It is already breaking ground. Next are mangle wurzels and 
sugar beets; some of the seed was soaked over night to see if it would 
hasten germination. Next is where the sweet potatoes will go. Do 
we think they will do well here? Yes, but not as well as in the lighter 
soil on Experiment Station No. 2, at Medford. It is an experiment 
worth trying, however, for they have been grown successfully on the 
North Shore. We plan to put in nearly an acre. 

Why is this part of the laud so very rough, you ask. O, this is 
the acre that had 797 stumps upon it, all over eighteen inches in diame- 
ter. Imagine the forest that one day must have covered it. These 
acres eight and nine are left for late "flowers," cabbage and sprouts; 
but acre number seven, down yonder, is thriving. These are a second 
planting of green pod and wax beans, next squash and pumpkin with 
cucumber alongside. I know they are supposed to mix, but they never 
have in our home garden and I see no reason why they should here. 

This is a third planting of corn, there are five varieties here and 
all up strong you see. Yes, limas next, both bush and pole. Beyond 
you see a space without poles, here we intend placing a section of fence, 
for we have a theory that the beans will ripen more evenly, while by 
cutting the runners back we w^ill throw the strength into the beans. 
Another experiment you see. 

Stop here a moment and look over the Farm, then look beyond 
to the west and see what it was just nine short months ago. Has the 
experiment paid, is it not already proven that the land is productive 
though the hanest is not yet? 

Come through the orchard and you will see the tomatoes in bloom. 
Look, here is one already formed. O, there's no doubt but that potted 
plants pay. 

Here are the strawberries. It's no wonder you are surprised; yes, 
they are actually in bloom. Did you ask when they were planted? 
Last November. There is the Udo, as happy in America as in Japan, 
and there in the seed-bed are the Pe-tsai, Chinese carrots and Sakura- 
jima radishes. 

Have I given you, my readers, a glimpse of the Farm this first day 
of June. 

The next day the melons were planted, a furrough run, a big fork- 
ful of manure placed in each hill, some earth drawn over and the seed 
sown. These are greedy fellows and we felt success would be lacking 
for them in unaided new ground. There were four varieties of cante- 
lopes and two of watermelons. , 

Such busy days as the diary now reveals: potatoes and beans to be 
sprayed with Bordeaux, lettuce to be cultivated, radishes to be washed, 
bunched and shipped to market, Lima beans to be replanted where the 
germination was poor, peas hand-cultivated and acre seven horso-cul- 
tivated, a thousand and one things the diary does not reveal, including 
photographs by the score. Thus passes a single day. 

66 



The plants 




The fniit 



The tomato story in three chapters 



67 



The evenings busy with books and chemicals, to bed late and to 
rise early, but living in the free and open, close to mother earth and 
her unparalleled wonders. 

the birds were coming- — swallows, thrushes, bluebirds, they were 
looking for water and well we knew if they found it they would build, 
becoming neighbors and benefactors in their destruction of insect life. 

Over in the diary among the pines, the Senior Partner found, last 
Fall, a stump long and slender and hollowed into a basin. At the time 
he thought of a bird bath. Now was the time to fix it. 

"Mike, hitch up Texas and go into the dairy and bring in that 
stump; we'll pipe it to-night and have a fountain in the front lawn." 

"Can't we go too?" came the piping voices of wee ones. 

"Of course you may, and I'll go with you for Mike doesn't know 
where it is," I replied. 




The bird bath stump and fountain 

68 



All that evening by lantern light the plumbers worked, Mike sup- 
planting the 'longshoreman, and a wonderful change for the better it 
proved to be, for Mike had been trained as a pipe fitter. In fact, he 
seems a jack of all trades: cobbler, carpenter, plumber, farmer: that 
necessary adjunct to a complete home — a "handy man." The stump 
was set by the flag-staff Avhere on Decoration Day the flag had been 
raised on its new pole to half mast. (The American Flag has always 
waved at Peace and Plenty.) A very convenient hole in one of the 
tap roots admitted of a pipe being run through, while a gas-jet as a 
tip threw a fine spray like a fan shaped flame. The stump was inclined 
slightly forward, a kerosene barrel, with the bottom knocked out, sunk 
at the end of the stump; this filled with large stone received the 
drip from the fountain. From our next trip to the beach we returned 
ladened with bright pebbles which the children dropped in the foun^ 
tain bowl to sparkle in the water. In a few days our efforts were re- 
warded (if the beauty of it and the trickling sound of water was not 
reward enough) for bluebirds came for a bath, then the thrushes, and 
later indigo-buntings and yellow warblers, while sparows of many 
varieties proceeded at once to build in the trees about the homestead. 

On the fourth the State Agricultural Inspector arrived, his sur- 
prise at the Farm's appearance warmed our hearts and inspired us 
with new courage and greater determination. We needed the cour- 
age for that same day we discovered root magot in Pe-tsai and Sakura- 
jima radish. We had wondered why the latter went to blossom while 
so small, for at home they grew enormous before sending up the blos- 
som stalk. Root magot galore in every last one of them! 

"All right sir, we'll fix you," we said. 

"Ted, take out all those Sakurajima( there was one long row), fork 
over the ground well and make a drill in exactly the same place. Ever- 
lastingly pour in Canada Wood Ashes, in the bottom of the drill and 
we'll plant the Sakurajima right over again in that same spot," said 
the Railroad Farmer. 

'It will be a tough magot that can live in those ashes sir," said 
Ted. "Guoy! but they do go for my 'ands." 

No magots could stand them and our Sakurajima filled the heart 
of even a Jap with delight for he carried one home from the Fair 
weighing ten pounds. 

With the exodus of the 'longshoreman's family, came "Shep," a 
cook loaned us to tide over until new help could be procured. We were 
somewhat of a family ; we four and the stenographer, Ted, Mike, Nettie 
and Walter, my faithful maid's brother of fourteen whom we took 
from a home, knowing well the value of a boy this age to "fetch and 
carry." 

In a few days, Roger and Sophia, a colored couple of some fifty- 
five summers, appeared. Aunt Sophie was a sweet-faced, gray-haired 
little bit of a woman, while Uncle Roger was large, rheumatic and 
jolly. She was a true Southern cook and gave us loads upon loads 
of hot bread and fried things in general. Uncle had always been a 



69 



porter and didn't know a hoe from a shovel. The agricultural instinct 
is in the race, however, and he soon learned to hill up corn and hoe 
potatoes in due and ancient form. In spite of all the modern farm 
machinery there is a certain amount of hand labor necessary especial- 
ly in new ground. 

Peanuts went in early in May, the little Spanish and the huge 
Mammoth. 

Walter soon learned to gather radishes, assist in transplanting 
and made himself generally useful. From the seed-bed were trans- 
planted 180 kohl rabi, some of the North China products, and Emerald 
Isle kale. 




The simple washing-rack and the open air packing-house 

Radishes were so abundant it kept one of us busy all day washing 
and packing them. Many were sent direct to one of the big restau- 
rants, being packed, unbunched, in crates lined with paraffin paper. 
1,400 radishes to a crate was the average and each radish perfect of 
its type. One of our first resolves and firm compacts was that nothing 
but the very best that we could produce should leave the farm. There- 
fore from radishes, right through the season, every variety was sorted, 
washed or polished according to its needs. 

On the seventh of June the shipment reads fifty-five bunches for 
a Huntington grocer, 1,400 loose in a crate to a New York restaurant, 
and twenty-one bunches each in a paper pot to the "History Makers" 
and experts who visited the farm the day the first stump was blown 
up. 

70 



Ted and Walter were set "bushing" peas. We wished to test the 
time given to bushing and that to placing a portable wire fence (a 
strip of wire fastened to sharpened stakes). Brushing two rows each 
one-hundred feet long required one and one-half hours, placing fence 
to the same length rows required eight minutes. The wire was neat, 
satisfactory and easy to pick from. The bush was straggly, untidy 
and almost impossible to pick from, especially if the picker wore long 
hiir and skii*ts. 

Potato bugs were pestering the life out of us by this time. Wal- 
ter picked by hand each morning and strange to say they were worse 
on the tomatoes than on the potatoes. John dusted a mixture of Bor- 
deaux Paris Green and land plaster dry upon the potatoes and blew 
slug shot upon the tomatoes; yet the beetle went merrily on its way 

rejoicing. 

Some exquisite eggplants from the Huntington grower were set 
in the east end of the orchard among the tomato rows where imported 
tomatoes had given up the ghost. In twenty-four hours they were so 
black with flea beetle you could not detect the color of the leaves. 
Hellebore blown on thick seemed to drive them away. 

We have a standing joke in our little home town. The assistant 
postmaster is an enthusiastic gardener, and above all else he loves an 
eggplant. For years he has tried to raise them and never has succeed- 
ed in even getting one to set. 

"Hello, neighbor," he called through the post-office window, "I 
hear you're goin' farmin' out in the scrub oaks." 

"Yep, and we'll raise anything that grows on the temperate zone," 
was the confident rejoinder. 

"Bet you don't," he replied. "Bet you can't raise an eggplant." 

"Taken," cried the enthusiastic one. "I'll send you the finest egg- 
plant you ever ate before summer's over." 

And so flea beetle on those precious plants would never do. 

Of course, the mounds about the orchard trees had been leveled in 
the early spring, now was the time to give them a mulch of old straw 
from the stable, this one not to keep them warm, but to conserve the 
moisture about the roots. 

Radish seed was planted in every melon hill, scraping the earth 
slightly with the foot, dropping a few seed, pushing the soil back and 
treading upon it. That sounds like a shiftless way to plant, does it not? 
but this was only a guardian crop; they break the ground, germinating 
in a few days, also the flea beetle loves radish leaves much better than 
melon leaves, and feasts upon the latter only when the former are not 

to be found. 

The spinach patches being virtually a failure, Walter was sent 
over them to pick some for home use, then Ted sowed Canada wood 
ashes preparatory to cultivating for a new crop of a different type. 

The ashes remind me of an incident of the early summer. The 
high-chief-boss farmer had just gone over to Thanksgiving Cottage to 
dinner, when Mike appeared, saying: 



"They a mau over there want see you, Mr. Fuller'." 

"Well, tell him to make himself at home and I'll be there in a 
minute." 

Mike returned very promptly, saying: "He say he can't wait, very 
important." 

"Tell him to come over here then, I'm going to finish this meal as 
quick as I can and get back to work." 

The gentleman appeared, begging profuse apologies and saying 
he was from the State Department sent to analyze our fertilizers. 

"You've an easy job, neighbor," said the Senior Partner, "better 
sit down and join me in my frugal meal. We haven't any fertilizer but 
good old stable manure." 

"That's a pretty story all right, Mr. Fullerton, but everyone knows 
you couldn't make a place look like this without chemical fertilizer," 
he replied. 

"It's a fact, nevertheless. Why, man alive, this is virgin soil, what 
does it want with chemical fertilizers? I wouldn't have used manure 
if it had not been burned over so many years. All this land needs is 
humus." 

By this time they had gone out upon the farm and were joined by 
another gentleman, a companion to the first. 

The spokesman said: 

"Mr. Fullerton claims he has used no commercial fertilizer, Jim." 

Whereupon "Jim" asked: 

"What are all those bags in the barn then, Mr. Fullerton?" And 
it was said with a tone of voice that implied that the Railroad Farmer 
was caught "dead to rights" this time. 

"Canada wood ashes, help yourselves. Take a whole bag with 
you and analyze it if you desire." 

They went to the barn and soon were thoroughly convinced it 
was wood ashes pure and simple. 

"Mike, bring me that bag of nitrate of soda." 

"This, gentlemen, is the only thing in the nature of a chemical 
fertilizer that I shall use this year and I got this only as a hastener 
for lettuce, celery and endive. This is one of the farm's best assets." 
And he showed them out behind the barn a tarred kerosene barrel 
sunk beside the stalls; raising the lid disclosed all the liquid stable 
waste. 

"This is as good as nitrate and costs nothing," he further ex- 
plained. 

The experts went away after more carefully inspecting the crops, 
fully convinced that our point was well taken and saying: 

"Well, those fellows down in the village will be mightily disap- 
pointed when they see us, for they were sure you had some special 
brand of fertilizer and we told them we could find out all about it. 
But we've nothing to say. Aren't you ever going to use fertilizer, Mr. 
Fullerton?" 

"Bless your souls, yes. Didn't I use fertilizer when I plowed 

72 



that rye under? Next fall I am going to put on about ten tons to 
the acre of manure again and I am going to turn under crimson clover, 
vetch and rye on every square foot I can get planted. Then I shall 
use lime for a sweetener for we can now afford the lime a little time 
to work. Next summer when I am putting in a second and third crop 
on the same ground I shall probably use blood and bone or bone meal. 
Don't misunderstand me, I think chemical fertilizers are bully for old 
worn out land, but it would be like 'carrying coals to Newcastle' to put 
it on this virgin soil. The craze for chemical fertilizers has gone too 
far. There are places where they have put it on so heavy (with the 
theory that if one ton is good two tons will be better) that they have 
chemical laboratories, not farms. All chemical fertilizer is 'lazy 
man's way,' he claims he will not have weeds so will save cultivation. 
Weeds are the farmer's best friends, they force him to cultivate, and 
lack of cultivation is the crime of modern farming. If they'll pile 
some old manure on that ground now and so liberate through decompo- 
sition the various component parts of the chemical fertilizers, they will 
have farms again." 

"We're glad to hear you speak that way Mr. Fullerton, for the 
fertilizer men all thought you were down on them and felt pretty sore 
about it." 

"Give them my love and tell them they are the best thing that 
ever happened only they are working the game the wrong way. They 
think by selling a man two tons where he needs one they are doing 
great work. Let them study the subject and give the farmer real help 
even if they only sell him half a ton, they'll be much better off in the 
end and the farmers will swear by them, instead of at them as their 
crops run lower and lower. 

"You're right, Mr. Fullerton, we're glad we came," as they swung 
on the train. 



Teddy and the 
"baby" 




73 



By the eleventh of June the radishes were so well gathered, sweet 
com w'as planted in every third row (radishes had been planted 
eighteen inches apart), Avhile Ted with the Planet Jr., cultivated all of 
acre number three in the afternoon. These little hand implements are 
wonderful time savers, two sides of a row are cultivated in the time 
it takes to walk down a row; in the new ground it took longer, for 
sometimes huckleberry roots would check the progress, but as time 
permitted, all the rows were raked after cultivating, which gave the 
land a much cleaner appearance. In fact, the rakes attached to the 
cultivator make about the best tool imaginable for this work. Ted 
always called it "his baby" and went whistling down the rows, cover- 
ing the ground in truly remarkable time. Even Uncle Roger got so 
he could push one after his slow fashion, while we w^ould see Aunt 
Sophie steal from the kitchen and run him a race with one across the 
field. 

"You'all makes me tired goin' so slow wid dat ting, why don't you 
git along," 

"Haw! haw! haw! You tink I'm a spring chicken, don' you know 
I got de rheumatis powerful bad? Go w^an!" 

The spinach patch on acre number three was ready for Mike and 
the horses. It did not need plowing so he went over it with the horse 
cultivator five times, with the leveler three times, then raked it, drag- 
ging the fine roots to the road and finally gave it a good rolling, leav- 
ing the plot in perfect condition. This latter operation is one that is 
seldom attempted in farm work. After cultivating, the soil is left 
in so porous a condition the roots do not get a firm hold until rains 
have flattened it well. Ted and John came right along with the seed 
drill and in two hours had the entire patch planted with onions, car- 
rots, peas, beans and sugar beets, seventy-six rows each 127 feet long. 
The rows were as straight as a die, the drill did not check once, in 
fact, no one-hundred-year old farm could produce a plot in better seed 
bed condition, and this was not yet a yearling. 




Green and wax 

beans, a second 

crop on this plot 

and a marked 

success 



74 



This planting of peas and beans was the third one of each. The 
first planting of peas you will remember ws saw on our walk to the 
dairy They matured very early, were extremely dwarf and the vines 
vellowed badly. It puzzled us much to know the cause. We irrigated 
(which no doubt saved their lives during the drought of May) and we 
wood-ashed them. The second planting on acre number seven were tal- 
ler but started to yellow also. 

"Well it beats me," said the Farmer, "what do you suppose makes 
it? There is a patch in the middle perfectly normal, tall, green and 

luxuriant." . . ^ ,,-r^ ,. ., • ^ 

"That's where a bonfire was last fall," I rejoined. "Don't you think 

they need more ashes?" ^ o t i, i 

"We've put more ashes on them. Don't you remember? I had 

John sow them last week?" 

"Yes, but maybe they need it underneath; let's plant more down 
on the spinach patch and give them a good dose of it." 

"All right, I'll go you," was the rejoinder. 

This crop was entirely satisfactory, the soil had been heavily sown 
with ashes, and when the peas were about four inches high, more 
ashes were sown along the rows, then the little Planet Jr. plow at- 
tachment was run through, hilling the vines up well. The crop wa& 
abundant and of high quality. 

Beans had been one of our greatest disappointments; we knew 
well their susceptibility to anthracnose (so-called bean rust), and to 
guard against it had sprayed them with Bordeaux. The vines were 
superb, laden with pods and almost ready to gather; in a night they 
were o-one with the dread disease. Those next to the house, by the 
tower, were the first to go. A second application of Bordeaux on the 
second planting, acre number seven, was promptly made, but it did not 
save the crop. Therefore beans went in beside the peas with a firm 
resolve to spray them the minute they appeared above ground. In six 
days they appeared. 

"John, those beans are up and you want to get Bordeaux on them 

at once." 

"All right sir, shall I use it dry?" 

"Not on your life! Use it wet and soak 'em for fair. I'm going 
to have some good beans off this place if it takes a leg." 

In six more days they were wood-ashed and hilled-up like the 
peas; in another two weeks they were Bordeauxed again. The yield 
was perfect; beans in abundance, and while the other plantings had 
received as many applications of Bordeaux, we feel they need it when 
very small as this disease must be prevented; it cannot be cured. This 
patch one hundred and twenty-seven feet long and twenty-nme feet 
wide, yielded twelve and one-half bushels of stringless and wax beans. 

Potato bugs and flea beetle were still making lace of potatoes and 
tomatoes while the cabbage worm was keeping us very busy as well. 

By the fourteenth of June we women folk were picking peas for 
shipment, while Mike was preparing acre number ten for sweet pota- 




Preparing for sweet potatoes 



toes. It required much cultivating and leveling to get it into any- 
thing like shipshape condition. Ted was cultivating lettuce and weed- 
ing the strawberries. 

"Mother, what shall we do?" came small voices. 

"Help us pick peas, won't you?" I answered. 

"O yes, I'll help," said Hope and she promptly sat down in the 
patch and proceeded to eat all she could reach. "That's great help- 
ing," I said, "the guests at the French restaurant will enjoy those." 

"O well, never mind, mother, he can have the 'fatty, fatty, boom- 
a-latties' and I will eat the 'petit pois.' They are sweetest," said the 
connoisseur just turned seven. 

"Look, mammy, ain't I a helper?" piped the four-year old. An 
apron full of big ones disclosed her efforts, but then she does not care 
for peas either raw or cooked. 

That night the plants arrived. Sweet potatoes, cauliflower, Brus- 
sels sprouts, tomatoes, celery and lettuce from Maryland. They were 
taken from the basket carriers, spread upon the cellar earth floor, and 
thoroughly sprinkled. 

The next day was very hot and the ground exceptionally dry. Mike 
took Texas out and plowed up ridges for the sweet potatoes. They are 
always planted in this way for they love dry soil and must never have 
water stand on the roots; besides when so planted the vines are more 
easily raised to check rooting at each vine joint. Uncle followed, rak- 
ing off roots while John and Ted planted, Walter helping. A dibble 



76 



hole was made, Walter filled it with water and dropped a plant; Mike 
came after, setting them. A long hose attached to a standard at the 
center road and run across the fields, gave them water right at hand 

score number two for the irrigation system — while the same trick 

later gave them water handy for mixing fungicides and insecticides to 
be applied in the far fields. 



Setting out sweet 
potato vines 




A bucket of water to which had been added a cupful of oatmeal 
and a sliced lemon, to remove the flat taste, was kept there for drink- 
ing purposes. Frequent drinks on hot days are necessary, but the 
stomach must be kept active lest the blood rush to the head. The 
oatmeal water keeps the stomach in just the proper condition. It 
does not look pretty to drink, and some of them at first refused it. I 
noticed, however, every hot day thereafter came the request for oat- 
meal-water. 

On that same day the diary says: 

"Grasshoppers appeared to sit upon the sweet t'tater vine. Tur- 
keys now the only thing lacking." 

That day about 3,500 sweet potato plants went out. The next day 
dawned with warm heavy showers; the men worked as best they could 
between them finishing the sweets, while Mike cultivated fodder com. 
In the afternoon John and Ted set out 1,800 celeriac on acre number 
one by the house and in the seed bed swale, and about 400 tomatoes 
in the orchard, again filling up gaps. The plants were all fair looking 
specimens but none equal to home-grown. Still we had no choice; 
plants we had to have and we could not grow them ourselves, there- 
fore after much study we ordered from a firm considered the largest 
and best in the country. Alas for the day these plants touched the 
place as future history will show. 

The Brussels sprouts were the saddest-looking of all the plants; 
the leaves were yellowing in spite of frequent waterings, and this was 
Saturday. 

Mike came to Mr. Fullerton and said in a whisper: 

"I get up early to-morrow and plant those sprouts. I no believe in 



work Sunday but can't be help, those sprouts must be plant or they 
die." 

"All right, Mike. I am glad you spoke, for Mrs. Fullerton and I 
were going to do it ourselves anyhow. You're right, they'll die if they 
don't go in to-morrow." 

This is one of the worst features of buying plants, they come all 
in a lump regardless of order, regardless of whether you are ready for 
them, regardless of weather conditions or the time of week. Having 
your own plants in your own seed bed they can be transplanted when 
conditions are favorable. 

We made a little motto for ourselves this year. 

"Raise your own plants even if you cover only half your acreage, 
it will pay." 

The sprouts went in on a Sunday morning and the day should have 
cleansed them of all their sins. Alas, it took but a few weeks to show 
us they might better have lain and died upon the cellar floor. Black 
rot and cabbage louse were rampant upon them. And the celeriac? 
Covered with blight. 

The next week one of our neighbors dropped in to see us and he 
said: 

"Three years ago I did not have time to sow any celery seed so I 
ordered some plants from a Maryland firm. They were pretty poor 
specimens of celery all right and soon developed celery blight and do 
you know it is in my ground so now I can't raise celery without an 
awful fight." 

"Oh neighbor, neighbor, if we had only known! Ours came from 
the same place and we not only have celery blight but cabbage louse 
and black rot, and it is spreading over the whole farm at a most ap- 
palling rate." 

"It's a crime!" I exclaimed. "Why does the Government allow it, 
when no nursery is allowed to send out stock unless it is inspected. 
This is worse than San Jose scale. It means bankruptcy." 

"Why, I've heard since that these big growers' places have been 
infected for years and they can't grow a thing to maturity. But what 
do they care, the seedlings don't show it and its too much trouble to 
spray," said our neighbor. 

"It's a burning shame," I said. "A brand new place like this cov- 
ered with blight the first year!" 

"Well, if spraying and hand picking will check it," said the Senior 
Partner," it won't get into the soil. And if hard and persistent work 
will prevent it, I am sure our beloved 'Peace and Plenty' will be ex- 
empt from further trouble. 

June twenty-sixth saw seventy-seven heads of lettuce off for New 
York, crisp, firm, fresh and delicious, packed in paraffin paper ready 
to be eaten the same day. That's what New York needs, fresh vege- 
tables that have not- been on the road a week. 

Our own cauliflower and cabbage seedlings in the seed-bed were 



Radishes, 
Lettuce and Peas 




well along by this time. They were planted June fourth and were 
making sturdy growth for a late crop. Cabbage worms were after 
them however, so Paris Green and Bordeaux were kept upon them. 
Frequent cultivatings with the Planet Jr. (Ted loved to run through 
them just before he put the implement away) kept them growing stead- 
ily and helped develop a fine root system. 

Some pigs had been ordered in the early summer, but failed to ar- 
rive. We knew their value as consumers of refuse and providers of 
fertilizer, besides making a good winter provision. One (a Chester 
white) out of the four finally arrived on the twenty-third and was 
promptly named "Eventually." A week later a black Berkshire came 
and being promised to the wee one she named her "Violet." These 
seemed all the dealer could procure for us so our good friend of the 
apple orchard sent two Poland Chinas. Hope named hers "Kosebud," 
while mine assumed the name of "Ceedee" in honor of our good friend. 

Early peas were taken out on the twenty-eighth and Mike pre- 
pared the patch in the same manner as he pursued with the spinach 
patch. The pea vines by the way were put into the compost heap, for 
this is one of the plants well worth saving, giving back its accumulated 
nitrogen as it decomposes. Had conditions permitted the vines would 
have been plowed under, but the ground was too rough for that. 

Celery was planted on a portion of the space while endive and 
turnips occupied the balance. Endive was planted again because the 
first sowing, lacking sufficient cultivation, had run up to seed. Three 
men and a rheumatic on thirteen acres. We should have had a man 
to the acre to handle the crops properly. A pretty expensive proposi- 
tion you will say; not for a market gardener who raises three and four 
crops a year on every inch of ground. Ask any good one and see. 
You will say, "Well, why didn't you have them if you needed them." 
For two reasons, we had no shelter and we were proving what a man 



could do with a small amount of lielp, and just as the other man would 
find, some things would be left undone. 

Lettuce and beans or peas were being shipped daily now. Im- 
perfect heads, or those not quite hard enough for market were sent to 
Hospitals, Y. M. C. A.'s and the Sunshine Society. 

Ted found time in the evenings to work on the shower bath we had 
long intended for the men. A space beside the engine was partitioned 
off, cement floor laid on a slant, pipe connections made and a spray at- 
tached. This was thoroughh^ enjoyed by the Englishman, but Italian 
and American natures seemed to "dodge." 

The last day of June found us preparing to fill acre eight with 
cabbage and cauliflower from our own seed bed. July first fell on 
Sunday, a second one destined to be a work day. Early morning in- 
spection showed the cabbage so full of worms we were afraid to leave 
them until morning, so faithful Mike, who knew the danger as well 
as we, "passed" them with Paris Green. It took us some time to quite 
understand this phrase of his: 

"Mr. Fuller' I think best I pass cauliflower to-morrow, what you 
think — of course you boss," with a shrug of the shoulders. 

We finally gathered that he wished to spray the cauliflower. 

The last time I saw him I said: 

"Mike, how's the cauliflower?" 

"My gaw! Miss Fuller' I pass them eleven time and they no good, 
I never see such worms." And his eyes snapped with true Italian fire. 

This same Sunday night more plants arrived from the South. 




All hands and the family "got busy" 

80 



'^I don't dare look at them," I said. "Of all the times of year 
to travel these past three hothouse days are the worst. They must 
all be dead." 

And a sorry looking sight they were; celery, more sweet potatoes 
and late cabbage. These plants had been ordered of a Long Island 
nurseryman who said he could supply us. Irony of fate! They were 
from the same Maryland grower! 

The following day foreboded rain so the entire farm turned out 
to plant. By no means least among the number were the wee ones. 
The procession moved like this; Mike and Buckeye making a furrow, 
Ted following drawing a plank to smooth the top a bit, Uncle Eoger 
making dibble holes, John and Walter sorting out the plants that 
might possibly grow, Hope with a basket of plants upon her arm drop- 
ping one at each hole, Eleanor placing the plant in the hole and Mike 
coming after and firming them, the Junior Partner marking each row, 
while the Senior Partner with a camera made the scene a part of his- 
tory. It was hard work but many hands made it light, while good will 
and bantering fun made the time seem shorter. As a test of speed, 
Mike, Walter, Hope and Nettie planted 498 drumhead cabbage in 
twenty-five minutes. The small ones grew pretty tired but did not de- 
sert until the last plant was in. Rain came and we were all glad the 
good work had been accomplished. 

Blight was spreading fast, aided and abetted by continued damp, 
warm weather. It kept two men busy "passing" the various crops. 

On the third, melons were ready to be thinned and radishes pulled 
from the hills. They had fulfilled their mission and strange to relate- 
many were still in fine marketable condition; from the field we sorted 
1,200 as fine as heart could desire. 



Flag- raising on the 
glorious Fourth 




81 



The fourth could not pass without some celebration and a case of 
fireworks made the little ones long for evening. Big ones enjoyed 
the day as it passed. A diminutive cannon gave the grown up boys 
much pleasure and the national salute of twenty-one guns was given 
to the surrounding hills. 




The day after the 
glorious Fourth 



Target practise has always been our "fourth" habit, for I think a 
woman should know how to shoot as well as a man. A target was 
placed in the swale to the south of the barn, we took our turns using 
revolvers. Mike and I took honors while for the sake of my sex I must 
say I led, but the shots showed all of us would have "winged our 
man." Shot guns followed, firing at a can thrown in the air, that 
weapon is not to my liking so I withdrew before I lost prestige. Mike 
is a fine shot, while Ted followed a close second. Old Uncle had a 



Early, bi g and] solid; 
. one of the triumphs of 
the virgin soil 




glorious time but most of his shots went wild. I have no doubt the 
contest was a good thing; the melon patch was let severely alone. The 
evening's display was a delight to all and although our neighbors had 
been invited, but few appeared. 

On the sixth, crops began coming in in earnest, early cabbage and 
young carrots were added to the list. 

There are days with the best of us when everything goes "dead 
wrong." The ninth of July was one such with the Railroad Farmer. 
Everything was dead wrong from the time he arose; when a young 
chicken having escaped from the chicken yard got into the seed-bed, 
that was the "dead wrongest," A dive for the chicken, a catch of the 
foot in some huckleberry roots and the Farmer lay prone. The knee 
had been wrenched and then began three months of limping and ban- 
daging; a sad and unfortunate mishap in the midst of such a strenuous 
season. No amount of persuasion would keep him quiet and as the 
limp grew worse the children dubbed him: 

"Old Mr. Micklejohn, had a leg of hickory on." 

Several days later Aunt Sophie, who had been steadily growing 
lazier, about decided she had had enough of country life, so, much to 
Uncle Roger's disgust, we sent them back to the city. 

"Why I's just gettin' my hand in boss and I likes it powerful; but 
Sophie she always does this yere way." 

Three weeks followed in which but for Nettie's willing help I 
should have been in a bad way, for no cook could be procured. 

Cabbage louse was tormenting the life out of us, spreading day 
by day, from sprouts to cabbage, from cabbage to cauliflower, kale and 
kohl rabi until it seemed as though nothing would stop them. Their 
natural enemy is the ladybug's child, they help man keep the fuzzy 
louse down. But ladybugs were very scarce this year. 

Eleanor and I were walking down the middle road one afternoon 
when a ladybug happened to light on her stocking. She looked down 
and said in her sweet baby voice: 

"Why you cunning thing, do you think I have aphis on me?" 
Their love of benign and animosity toward malign insects is very 
strong. 

We tried tobacco tea for the louse (really an aphis covered with 
a grayish hairy substance), dry powdered tobacco, slug shot, Bordeaux, 
Paris Green and land plaster mixed, but nothing seemed to affect them. 
Won't some good chemist invent something to kill them? We are be- 
ginning to feel that the soil should be poisoned, for nearly all these in- 
sects come from the ground. 

We had a most delightful call about the middle of July from a 
United States forester. He put new heart into us by confirming our 
use of manure and wood ashes and saying we had the finest garden soil 
he had ever seen. 

"Mr. Fullerton, if I should make soil with everything I could want 
to do it with, I could not equal your natural composition here. Man 
could not make such drainage, or loam in such ideal proportions of 



clay and sand as you have here. I had no idea Long Island was such 
a wonderful spot. As for its trees I am simply carried away. Never in 
all my travels have I seen such clumps of second growth chestnut. If 
you had told me there were groups of seven and eight all a foot to a 
foot and a half through, I would not have believed you." 

"Our trees themselves are not only wonderful to me, but the vast 
variety is astounding. Years ago the sea captains brought home trees 
and shrubs from foreign ports and many of them are now native to the 
Island. I know a forest of Japan maples, swamps where magnolia tri- 
folia grow, while foreign evergreens seem especiall}^ bappy here," re- 
plied "Mr. Micklejohn." 

Upon further examination of cabbage and cauliflower affected by 
blight, we found in nine cases out of ten root magot had been at work. 
This pest is a difficult one to fight, but bisulphide of carbon injected by 
the root will kill them, while sulphur or wood ashes in the drill will 
keep them out. I must confess we felt better, I would much rather fight 
an insect than a disease any day. 

Lettuce was ready to come out, it had been an interesting crop, 
full of failures. The majority of transplanted plants went up to seed. 
In drills they headed beautifully, teaching us the lesson that they must 
be thinned severely and kept cultivated while young, that without irri- 
gation during dry weather it is useless to try to grow it. 




One of the results 
of irrigation 



"But gee Avhiz, it's hard to thin it enough," said the book farmer, 
"T believe every seed sown came up." 



"Excuse me, Mr. Fullerton," said Ted, "But at 'ome we bake 'alf 
the seed before we plant it." 

"Bake it, what for?" 

"So it can't come up sir," he replied. "Then it isn't so thick." 
"Good scheme Ted, we'll just about try it next year." And the more 
we have planted the more we are convinced that such things as lettuce, 
endive, beets, turnips and in fact any crop needing thinning should 
have half the seed "baked." 

Of all the varieties we tried, the "Golden Queen" suited us best. 
Brilliant in color, golden of heart, solid, crisp and mild flavored, while 
its tenderness exceeded any lettuce I have ever eaten. As the Far- 
mer says "Big Boston isn't in it." 

On a small irregular shaped plot near the well, beans had come out 
as well as lettuce and the bean vines had been burned some time ago, 
anthracnose was too dangerous to have around. A small amount of 
manure was spread because being near the tower some soil from the 
well had been spread upon it; this soil came from too great a depth to 
be productive. Wood ashes followed the manure, and Mike prepared 
the ground to receive summer radishes where the lettuce had been and 
summer lettuce where the beans had been. 

John drilled them in, and when the lettuce appeared one variety 
looked more like turnips than lettuce, further growth disclosed the 
fact it was turnip; a mixed seed from a reputable firm and out of a 
sealed package. Thus does the farmer labor against great odds. 

With the exodus of Aunt Sophie and Uncle Eoger, we were left 
with but three hands and crops coming in faster and bugs growing 
thicker every day. 




Home-hamper fillers 

On the eighteenth Dynamiter Kissam came again, for it had been 
decided to clear the remainder of the dairy. We had proof enough of 
the utter futility of the ancient method. The Dynamiter's appearance 

85 



A beauty blow" 




and trunk split 



AGRICULTURAL DYNAMITING 



86 



necessitated Italian help for him. The sprouts had grown so vigorous- 
ly during the summer, one would not have dreamed the land had been 
burned over last Fall. Then, too, manure for the dairy and farm was 
coming, as at this time of year it could be purchased at sixty cents 
a ton. This, of course, had to be unloaded. Mike succeeded in get- 
ting two Italians who proved on their arrival not to be agriculturists 
but Neapolitans. They marched up to our wash-stand by the tower, 
helped themselves to a glass of water and proceeded to Thanksgiving 
Cottage for dinner. 

Lime for Fall use had arrivied, and they were first set to unloading 
it and protecting it from rain storms; then into the dairy to pile stumps 




Ancient "Wait and Want" method too extravagant 
for Dynamiter Kissam, who, working alone, had blown one hundred 
the first day, having prepared the charges the day before. The Ital- 
ians went to the "Port" Saturday for food. Sunday they returned 
rigged out in most gorgeous style saying as their cousin had died they 
were about to return to Italy. They of course struck for pay for Sat- 
urday afternoon (having left on the noon train) but a good dose of Mex- 
ican Spanish, interpreted by Mike into Italian, soon made them under- 
stand that would not work. 

"Mike, were you afraid they would draw on you? That big fellow 
probably had a couple of knives in those high boots," said the farmer. 

"O no, Mr. Fuller', I not afraid; I had three year Italian fencing 
school. They know me." 

8T 



The nineteenth was marked in many ways. First and foremost 
we picked the first tomato, a beautiful large smooth Earliest Pink, and 
the first cauliflower; both, of course, went to the Fairy Godfather. A 
quantity of rhubarb was planted, having been sent from some section 
of the road where improvements had extended into a West End market- 
garden, and we packed our first "home hamper." 




The "Home-hamper" 

For years the Railroad Farmer has been convinced that there is a. 
ready market for produce shipped direct to the consumer. A crate 
or hamper filled with vegetables in season was his idea. He has never 
been able to persuade a farmer to try it. "Oh, it would be so much 
extra work," they would say. 

"Yes, but 3'ou get the extra pay," he would reply. 

"Well, I know, but I guess it wouldn't be worth while." Here at 
last was a chance to try the scheme himself. A crate holding six three- 
quart baskets was selected. The three baskets in the bottom contained 
beets, newly dug potatoes (the kind you can eat boiled in the skin) and 
cabbage. A partition over these and the top three contained peas, let- 
tuce and cucumbers in one box, young carrots and young onions in the 
third box. 

As a test for this package they were shipped to friends with the 
urgent request for criticism. This criticism usually came in the re- 

88 



quest for more, although many friends helped us with the suggestion 
that tomatoes be packed tight and that peas and beans be wrapped in 
paper as they spilled through the crate. 

Mike had brought his wife to cook for us. She is a delicate color- 
ed woman with some Indian blood in her veins. She has six chil- 
dren; one a baby of six months, the oldest fourteen years, and she is 
twenty-eight. She was too sick to work, therefore after having a doc- 
tor see and prescribe for her, I sent her home with strict injunctions 
to rest all she possibly could. 

A regular cloud-burst occurred on the twenty-first with sharp 
lightning and heavy thunder near by. We dreaded lest all the corp 
be knocked flat, especially the fodder corn which was becoming, to- 
gether with the alfalfa, the pride of our hearts. Thank fortune little 
damage was done. 

The potatoes' growth was bothering us considerably. Some varie- 
ties were extremely dwarf and turning brown early. There was no 
sign of blight which puzzled us all the more. We went into the field 
taking up hills here and there and found many of the potatoes 
scarred but without any apparent cause for it. 

Finally reward came. One potato stuck full of huckleberry roots 
proved to our satisfaction that this was the cause of the scars. The 
''^tate of Maine," the last to be dug, was the first to bloom, while the 
"Extra Earlies" were the last to bloom. Queer things potatoes! Uncle 
Gideon's Quick Lunch suited us very well. We dug some on July 
twenty-third, finding them medium sized, nearly round, shallow-eyed, 
flecked with carmine and a delicious "eater." At this season forty 
feet yielded one peck which weighed twenty-four pounds. That would 
make them weigh ninety-six pounds per bushel. Some day all vege- 
tables, fruits and eggs will be sold by the pound. I hope the day is 
not far distant for that is the rational method. Weigh one dozen 
measly store eggs against a dozen fine fresh ones and you will see 
where the buyer would have the advantage. The "Extra Earlies" gave 
a greater yield but were not nearly so fine either in appearance, shape 
or flavor. 

Almost every day after this saw a "home hamper" going on a 
mission. 

Eary in June or just after the bird bath had been placed, we "doc- 
tored" the lawn a little. In patches it was still bare, so Ted raked 
them over, then rolled the entire lawn. Again raking it he sowed 
more seed and rolled a second time. The sprayers were started im- 
mediately, and by the twenty-seventh the song of the lawn-mower was 
heard in the wilderness. As pretty a lawn with a goodly showing of 
white clover had been procured as many sections could show at the end 
of two years. 

Mike succeeded in getting three agricultural Italians at last. One 
had been on the section gang passing the farm every day all the season 
and had become much interested in it; one came from "Easter New 
Yorker," a young fellow whose father had been a farmer; while the 

89 




In ten months the lawn-mower's song was heard 

third had been for some time with neighbor Tesla at his "wireless" 
station. Their names were Antonio Bignoni, Martino Luliccio and 
Pedro Centro. 

They made for themselves a bunk in the workshop and a cook 
house along the eastern fence. They are quiet, content, polite and 
faithful, and are still with us. They learn quickly and after once being 
shown a thing can be trusted to do it alone. 

There were times when we were glad to borrow them from the 
dairy, for the entire farm needed cultivation, while picking could under 
no circumstances be neglected. 

For the twenty-eighth the diary says: 

"The entire farm is this day thoroughly cultivated"; and as that 
was Saturday, a sense of rest naturally pervaded the entire farm 
family. In fact one of the things that struck me most forcibly this 
summer was everyone's enjoyment of Saturday afternoon after mid- 
summer. No picking and packing to attend to, just getting to rights 
for the Sabbath and cultivating the crops that everyone had been 
aching to get at for days. There were no Saturday half holidays and 
there were no kicks. 

Rainy days were always filled clearing the barn and shops, putting 
together crates and doing indoor work, often these chores were saved 
for a rainy spell and many times the buildings looked neglected and 

90 



uncared for, but we knew their turn would come in good season. 

At the end of July invitations went to the same "history makers" 
and experts who visited the farm on its first blasting day. They went 
in the form of a "home hamper" and a call to come and see the vege- 




■'Scrub Oak" Vegetables — The Invitation 
tables growing. August seventh was set as the date, eleven months 
and a day from their last visit, when they had begged us not to at- 
tempt the problem. 

A hint from the diary for August first is as follows: 

" We picked and packed one bushel of wax and three-quarters of a 
Dusnel or green pod stringless beans, bautiful in color and form, and 
so tender and brittle it was diflflcult to handle them." Well I remem- 
ber them for they were the first pick from the third planting and we 
were grateful that we had persisted in our efforts to grow them free 
from disease. 

That same day we had a flying visit from a member of the New 
York City Board of Education. He came, he said, because he could not 
credit the stories he had heard of such marvelous development in so 
short a time. He frankly confessed as he went over the farm that it 
was almost beyond the powers of conception to realize that eleven 
months before the place was in its primeval state. 

And truly it was a sight during August. Such wealth of growth, 
such a variety of vegetation one seldom sees. 

A three days' rain from the northeast in the first part of this 
month gave us opportunity of doing many small indoor jobs. Seed 
boxes were made, more crates put together, engine room straightened 
out, baskets piled and between showers wire stripping put up for berry 
and grape vines. But at the end of the third day "Mike cultivated the 



91 




Assorted "succotash" 
pea patch on acre number three, John drilled in red top and Aberdeen 
turnips, Ted cut the lawn and trimmed up borders," which shows what 
a truly remarkable soil this is. 

The sixth was spent in preparing for the morrow's distinguished 
visitors. The day being clear, they were to feast in the open upon the 
farm products. Ted also drilled in some spinach between the rows of 
corn on acre number two, the "intensive plot." This was the fourth 
crop on this land in one year without fertilization. "There's many a 
slip 'twixt the cup and lip," however, and county fairs claimed our at- 
tention to such an extent during September that this fourth crop did 
but fairly well during the six weeks' drought of this Fall. 

The seventh was "made a purpose for us." Warm, west wind, 
overcast, just the day to make city bound men glad to be in the coun- 
try. Our guests arrived at noon; a short survey of the farm from the 
house plot and they sat down to dinner on the lawn by the fountain 
under the shade of our rescued trees, I give you pictorially the menu 
and I can assure you I never saw men enjoy a meal more. Ten vege- 
tables, all from the land they had been afraid to have us go into a few 
months before. 

If I may take you with us again after dinner on a tour of the farm 
I will try to show you what they beheld. 



92 




















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The Menu 



The lawu more beautiful than ever, while oxalis in bloom about 
the trees, roses, sweet peas and coboeas and other vines climbing upon 
the fence, porch and tower; gladiolus in clumps and the nasturtium 
root pile a blaze of gorgeous blossoms. Bulbous begonias in riotous 
bloom opposite the tank tower and outdoor wash-stand where "root 




The bulbous 
begonia bed 



antlers" serve as a tool rack, past the house and government plot to 
the turn in the drive. Along the chicken yard fence rich red gladioli 
are in their prime, attracting a flock of humming birds, while the vege- 
table flower garden shows scarlet runners, cardoon of tropical growth, 




The chicken yard's 



Gladioli Hedge 



and peppers that I doubt can be excelled anywhere, and borage, self- 
sown, in bloom of blue. 




Summer radishes, including Sakurajima 

The summer radishes and lettuce are thriving remarkably, while 
corn is in tassel beside the cottages. 




The littlest girl and a big cabbage 



Beets with their rich foliage, erratic onions (which by the way 
several were delighted to help themselves to) and cabbage. Let us 
pause here a moment. Mike had brought one in during dinner 
measuring with its leaves still on, forty-two inches in diameter. The ex- 
clamation arose, "How did you do it Fullerton? You certainly must 
have sat up nights with that fellow!" 

"There are plenty more in the field," he replied, but they were 
hardly convinced. 




A bit of the early cabbage patch 

Here before us is a patch containing many of equal size, while the 
entire growth is w^ay above the average. 

"My goodness how did you raise those melons?" broke from one 
of the party. "I never saw such a set in my life. I'm coming out again 
when they're ripe." 

"The prophecy is they will not be sweet because the soil is a little 
heavy," said the "show guide." "But if they are any good I see our 
finish trying to pick and ship them." 

"You'll have your hands full all right," they replied. 

Potatoes, carrots, beans, peas, parsnips, cauliflower, salsify, 
sprouts, all on the way to the dairy, called forth applause. 

"By jingo, Fullerton, that's alfalfa, isn't it?" exclaimed one who is 
considered one of the best alfalfa experts in the United States. "You 
don't mean to tell me you planted that this year." 

"Yes sir, the first day of June." "What do you think of it?" the 
farmer asked. 

96 




A big set of melons 



"Think of it! Why it's the best I have ever seen, no matter of 
what age. Why man alive that's here to stay and the bacteria are at 
work all right, all right." "Golly this part," as we walked toward the 
top dressed quarter, "knocks the stuffin' out of anything else I have 
ever seen. How did you do it?" 

"Had the soil alkali," replied the book farmer, "and we didn't 
guess about it either, we took a very small piece of litmus paper and a 
handful of soil and found out." 

"Well sir, you've done the best and biggest thing that has been 
done for the Eastern States in many a year," replied another. 

Here to the left is teosinte, a new crop to some of them and one 
that called forth much admiration. Its broad leaves, shortness of 
stalk and luxuriant growth appealed to any man interested in silage. 

And the millet, which had been a light green sea of beauty all 
the season was now shoulder high and blossoming with a soft long 
brown "bull-rush-like" tassel. This field showed more plainly than 
any other spot on the whole cleared acreage, where the bonfires had 

97 






Japanese bam-yard millet 



been; not only did it show the effects of the ashes in height, but in 
density of color. 

The field of fodder corn calls for further exclamations. 

"Fullerton, that's the best corn I've seen this season," said one 
guest who travels much in the interest of agriculture. "What did you 
leave so many stalks to the hill for." 

"This was planted for fodder old man, but 'Pennsy millions' failed 
to buy us time enough to get a silo up in which to put it, so I had to 
let it grow," answered the Senior Partner. 

"That sorghum is no slouch either," replied another. 









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A big blow close by 



"Gee whillicans!" exclaimed a third, "where did you get this?" as 
we came to the Virginia horse tooth. "Man alive you must think this 
is Kentucky. How high do you suppose that is?" as he went up to 
measure it. 

"A good twelve feet," said one, "you're a bean pole yourself and 
you look like an infant in there." 

(Man language is often more forceful than complimentary.) 

"What will that be when it's done? Why this is only early August, 
it has another good two months yet," said a third. 

"We're hoping for sixteen feet and to be able to mature it," said I. 



LOFC 



99 



White Flint field com 




Sorghum 



Teosinte 



THREE VALUABLE FODDER CROPS 



100 



"Well, you have a record now," was the reply, "no matter what 
happens to it in the future." 

"Dynamiter Kissam is working here and he'll blow a few stumps 
and some trees for you if you want," said the farmer. "There's a good 
big chestnut six feet through and he will blow it by battery." 

"Oh, please mayn't I?" I exclaimed, and womanlike, I had my 
way. My but it was a ^beauty blow' (that's technical). She came out 
clean, and pieces went way over into the corn. 

"We're going to take out some of those pines, we want a few as 
shade apology for the cattle, but these three extend too far east. 

"Are you ready Charles?" he called. 

"Fire!" came the reply and twelve feet up into the air flew the 
tree, root and all, and falling split through the center. 

"There you are," said the wise one, "land cleared and wood split 
all for ten cents. 

"How much dynamite did it take?" asked one. 

"A half a pound," was the reply, "and time enough to afl&x the cap 
and charge the stump." 

"Are you going to clear number two the same way, Mr. Fuller- 
ton?" asked one guest. 

"Ten acres are cleared, the dynamiter has just come over from 
there," he replied. 

"How many acres have you in that piece?" 

"Eighty. It was the smallest we could buy. Ten of it will be 
market-garden and for the seventy we are considering a plan to re- 
forest and grow railroad timber. A twenty-foot fire strip to check the 
annual burn-over permitted by thoughtless or careless owners, will 
be cleared all around it and there we will grow corn and such crops 
to pay for the clearing. Then all good specimens of oak and chestnuts 
and enough pines and underbrush to give forest environment will be 
left. We think of planting European larch, and will blow a hole to 
set them in. Of course these trees want a protection of undergrowth 
just as all forest trees require, so we will do no clearing," said the 
farmer. 

"What do you mean by blowing a hole?" Mr. Fullerton. 

"Why it struck me one day it would be a good sight easier and 
cheaper to blow a hole with a charge of dynamite than try to dig 
one in that mess of undergrowth and roots, so Charlie and I went over 
into the woods yonder and inserted a quarter of a pound at a forty-five 
degree angle about two feet below the surface. She tore up a hole 
two and a half to three feet in diameter, leaving perfectly pulverized 
soil fully two feet deep in which to plant a tree. By putting the charge 
in a little flatter we secured even better results. With a helper Kis- 
sam can make 250 holes a day at a cost of |12.12. We think Black 
Judson powder would do just as well and would reduce the cost to 
$10.88 per 250 holes." 

"Great head!" was the reply. 



101 



Returning from the dairy we go soutli along tlie division fence 
where we can see the cowpeas making a brave struggle among the 
sprouts and ferns of an uncleared section. The sugar beets and 
mangles are making fine growth, while the sweet potatoes delight the 
hearts of Southerners and Westerners. Sunflowers, two long rows 
of them, which John and Mike had planted quickly one day, making 
a dent with the heel, dropping the seed and pressing the earth over 
with the toe, were thriving well. Astonishment at them was exhibited 
until we spoke of the use of the seed as poultry food, when it was 
thoroughly understood. 




The cauliflower field, fair to look upon 

Now we come to the pride of our hearts, our own cauliflower, 
sprouts and cabbage seedlings, fields as fair as man can look upon, 
plants stocky and vigorous enough to make one feel certain of "big 
returns." 

Squash and cucumbers in profusion, while corn just bearing, and 
limas filling rapidly, brings us to the orchard with its luxuriant tree 
growth and tomato vines laden with fruit and every inch of spare space 
covered with crimson clover to be plowed under in the Spring for green 
manure; berry vines, asparagus, rhubarb, red carrots from China tasted 
as a rare treat and found as sweet as a parsnip, and we are again back 
to the east of the house, where the tiny ever-blooming roses are mak- 
ing a good headway. 

Down into the cellar we usher our guests where the transverse 
section of the soil calls forth fresh exclamations of delight and won- 
der, and the bushels of vegetables prove that this is a market-garden 
competing with and forcing recognition from the world at large. 

A drive through the beautiful old village of Wading River and up 

102 




Lima beans on wire fencing 



to the depot, where the Farmer accompanied his guests a portion of the 
way back to the city's turmoil, ended for these gentlemen what I am 
sure was a unique day. 

Returning at eventide the Senior Partner brought with him a 
doubtful one, a Congressman of good Quaker descent and a thorough 
believer in and earnest worker for Long Island, but "Fullerton's farm 
stories are too big to believe," he said. 

"Seeing is believing," and his tour of the farm drew from him a 
frank and delighted acknowledgment that we had "produced the 
goods," and, like our visitor of a few hours earlier, he pronounced the 
alfalfa "the finest I have ever seen and I raise it in Kansas myself." 

The early potatoes having been dug, Mike spread some lime upon 
the patch harrowing it in and preparing after our usual manner, ready 
to receive spinach. Though August is early for planting this crop, 
we felt the irrigation plant would give us good aid. 

For the eighth the diary says : 

"Packed two crates fancy tomatoes, two home hampers, two bush- 
els of lima beans, ten dozen ears of corn, and two barrels of cabbage." 

That may sound simple to the uninitiated, but in reality it means 
sorting the tomatoes, rejecting all that are not perfect either in shape 
or otherwise, polishing the good ones, packing them in three-quart bas- 



ics 




Careful packing ruled 
at No. 1 



kets, six baskets to a crate. The hampers called for early potatoes 
sorted and washed, beets washed and the tops slightly trimmed, beans 
packed with paraffin paper to prevent spilling, cabbage trimmed and 
thoroughly washed, tomatoes polished, carrots and onions cleansed 
and trimmed. Beans are slow to pick and like peas deserve to bring a 
high price in the markets. Corn was sorted and packed in a crate, 
while all cabbages were thoroughly sprayed. Such was the packing 
required of Number One for the label that goes on our packages we 
wish synonymous with "the best that can be produced," 

As an illustration of what a man can do in a day, the following 
from the ninth is fair: 

"Mike Bordeauxed and Paris Greened all melons, sprouts, early 
cauliflower and cabbage, also cultivated nearly all of acres eight and 
nine." Mike also had entire care of the horses and was our chief help 
in the packing. 

For days the weather had been overcast, hot and moist, true hot- 
house weather. The morning of the tenth it seemed as though our en- 
tire hopes were to be blasted. I think I can give you nothing more 
vivid than the report the overwrought Senior Partner sent that day to 
Mr. Peters: 

General Conditions on Experiment Station Number One, August 
10, 1906. 
"Mr. Ralph Peters, Pres., Long Island City. 

"Dear Sir: — The weather conditions prevailing throughout this the 
first year of the Long Island Railroad Experimental Station Number 
One have certainly been abnormal and lately the astounding change 
in vegetable growth, showing in a most marked manner probably be- 
cause of one day's absence caused by hospital visit on account of my 
ball and socket joint knee, made me feel that details should be re- 
corded for your log book of Number One. 

"The blight imported with celeriac from big commercial plant grow- 



ers has extended to fine, healthy cauliflowers, Number One, grown 
from seed. In spite of almost daily personal attention and care there is 
hardly a head of either cabbage or cauliflower planted on acre number 
one in the home plot, in order to keep it under continual observation, 
that does not show anything from slight injury to absolute destruction 
from this very serious imported blight. The long continuing overcast 
Turkish-bath weather has sent the shallots into a weedy-like growth 
resembling closely marsh grass effect. Peppers are apparently the 
only things that are truly happy. Summer lettuce lately planted is 
making a weedy growth, with the exception of one variety which came 
up turnips, a mixture I understand skilfully concocted by a dis- 
charged foreman of one of our American seedsmen who carried out 
exactly the same methods of revenge pursued by a superintendent of 
a German house who succeeded in absolutely destroying all landscape 
gardening effects in Europe and America where nasturtiums were part 
of the color scheme. Various summer radishes lately planted look 



Nasturtiums 

covering the 

root pile 




more like foliage plants than vegetables. Corn, of course, is supreme- 
ly happy. In the cabbage patch acre number two imported plants, the 
growth of black rot and fuzzy cabbage louse is far superior in vigor 
to the cabbage plant itself. Our splendid stand of kohl rabi has been 
infected from the cabbage just east of it through the medium of our 
frequently prevailing northeast winds. In order to save them, we 
shall ship all we have at once. The finest lot of kale that I have ever 
seen even about Long Island City has also been affected by imported 
black rot and louse so that it must be cut and shipped immediately in 
order to pull out all we can. The carrots, both first and second plant- 



105 



ing, are paying beautifully. The shell beans, although as erratic in 
growth and set as elsewhere according to reports throughout the 
United States, show freedom from anthracnose and other blights be- 
cause of continual and early use of Bordeaux. Turnips planted July 
twentieth appear to be in fine condition. Salsify and scorzonera show 
up superbly. The tips of the salsify leaves are shrivelled and black and 
occasionally the same effect is seen in the scorzonera, a normal peculi- 
arity. The frost touched golden bantam and peep-o-day corn is mak- 
ing up for lost time, many of the stalks running three and four ears 
on main and side shoots. Brussels sprouts planted among this corn 
show up best of all plantings. Parsnips supremely happy, and sugar 
beets ditto. Turnips of August fourth show in even and very nearly 
straight rows. Sprouts in acre number six are in spots badly affected 
by the louse. Cauliflower, home grown, which was in fine shape, af- 
fected badly by imported blight. Potatoes show same erratic brown- 
ing, which is strikingly prevalent in every section of Long Island and I 
should judge throughout the United States from reports in the papers. 
Beans on acre number three would be fine specimens in the best bean 
season ever known. This is beyond question entirely due to Bordeaux 
applied as soon as plants appeared. Onions planted June thirteenth 
on acre number three show that ground is in far from proper condition 
to suit onion germination and growth. The same erratic showing of 
rows is here that was found in the first planting made on acre number 
two. The cabbage set out in acre number three has done marvelously 
well, yielding a very large percentage of not only marketable but very 
large solid heads. First planting of onions still reminds one very 
much of a shave with a dull razor. The beets, because late germina- 
tions, have somewhat caught up and transplantings have helped out 
broken rows, are growing thriftily and look somewhat like a well kept 
market-garden. Turnips planted on acre number two were superb the 
day before yesterday; to-day leaf and even bulb have rotted so badly 
that in appearance and stench the showing is awful. Endive for the 
first time is making beautiful growth and promise for crop is excellent. 
"Melons I harldly dare to speak of for fear they will have the blight. 
The acre is the most beautiful patch I have ever seen and I came from 
a melon country. The set is superb, the bees are marvelously thick 
and the melons are filling out large and shapely. The assorted blight- 
ed and measly celery plants have at last secured enough vigor through 
copious doses of wood ashes. Long Island fertility, diluted salt water 
coming to us in the form of fog, to show considerable promise. The 
very best of the bunch, however, are golden self-blanching, raised in 
number one seed-bed. 

"In our vegetable flower garden, peppers are, as elsewhere, superb 
both in leaf and fruit. The cardoon shows here and there leaf blight 
but makes up in part by a number of good sized buds. Scarlet runner 
is growing luxuriantly with no sign of vegetable enemy. On the 
United States Government plot both haricot beans and lawn are in 



lOfi 



fine shape. The squash and pumpkin samples near house plot we have 
apparently saved in part from the ravages of the brood of the small 
striped beetle, who do not seem to keep ahead of the special brand of 
imported blight. Celeriac and celery look like a convalescent's home. 
In the orchard, acre number four, the trees are making superb growth. 
Crimson clover well nigh covers bare places. Tomato plants are most 
disheartening, besides the loss of at least eighty-five per cent of the set 
crop, the wet weather is rotting the plant itself so that from the pres- 
ent outlook ninety per cent total loss is probably nearer to fair state- 
ment. The yellow raspberries from which we even had a small yield 
are dying rapidly. Will endeavor to discover cause. Peanuts "all to 
the merry." For some reason limas look particularly thrifty, reason 
unknown; they should be totally or nearly destroyed by mildew. Corn 
on acre seven superb, in silk, in growth, in tassel and leaf. Early cu- 
cumbers season about done; yield and freedom from disease first rate. 
Squashes of all varieties have done particularly well and still making 
fine fruit. Turnips sown July twenty-ninth splendid. Late tomatoes 
are holding up well. Eggplants, with the aid of a large assortment of 
bumblebees, are settling remarkably well. Some of the late tomatoes 
are apparently keeping in style by rotting from the ground up. 

"We life partners have in going over acres eight, nine and ten im- 
bibed a vegetable mint-julip or cocktail according to one's early en- 
vironment, the late cabbages, red, curly-leafed and regular; the Brus- 
sels sprouts, and the late cauliflower, which are as magnificent as any- 
one could possibly see. Occasionally there is an affected leaf which 
to us shows that the spores from the imported plants have been waft- 
ed their way. Bordeaux has done well, but we are taking no chances 
nor omitting any precautions whatever, and to-day all hands are pick- 
ing infected leaves. The sweet potatoes remind me of Loveland, Ohio; 
more cannot be said. Two rows of sunflowers planted for the benefit 
of the feathered stock go billowing across the field showing plainly 
where the stumps were burned last year. The soaked sugar-beets have 
at last about caught up with the unsoaked rows. The test mangles 
are doing splendidly. The black Mexican sugar corn is in tassel, and 
showing up well. Second planting of early corn all well and made 
quite an even stand throughout. In spite of frequent showers and 
downpours, we have certainly demonstrated the necessity for frequent 
applications of fungicides and insecticides, and that it unquestionably 
pays to use both through the very earliest period of plant growth The 
necessity for a sprayman even on a market-garden of only ten acres is 
proven conclusively and next year if you approve, one man will be 
assigned solely to this work with instructions to keep up an endless 
round in a methodical manner so that no plot may be overlooked and 
further to be careful to make a spraying tour directly after a storm. 
Have had a particularly good man to handle this part of the work, but 
the setting out and cultivation many times forced us to leave alone 
plots showing up thriftily and without signs of coming disaster. It 
was most unfortunate that we were unable, because of a great deal of 



new work to be done which will not need thought next year or labor, 
to raise every plant for Number One. We imported a great number of 
insects in various forms and certainly two of the most dangerous and 
rare blights and fungous growths and undoubtedly others of lesser mo- 
ment. One thing we shall urge most strongly in pamphlet, which is 
now well along, is that nothing be planted in this new ground but the 
best of seed from strictly reliable firms and that under no circumstan- 
ces should plants be secured from outside territory. From the very 
first we have feared introduction of pest and for this reason took ex- 
traordinary precaution with two varieties of potatoes we received 
showing a mysterious, impossible to locate, disease which caused us to 
destroy a very large number of them. — Yours truly, H. B. Pullerton, 
Special Agent." 

The day brought us, however, a cook; a woman with a three-year 
old child who came through the Sunshine Society. 

The striped beetle were as thick upon the melons as though it was 
not time for them to have disappeared for the season. They are the 
most difficult things to kill one can find, while their young are the ter- 
ror of all gardeners. These beetles lay their eggs just under the soil, 
the young, a worm, bores into the stem of the vine and promptly kills 
it. The melons were sprayed way beyond the time that is considered 
safe in order to kill the beetle if possible, but nothing seemed to avail. 

On the eleventh, Mr. Peters came, his heart seemed wrapped up in 
that melon field, he spied each large melon, tapping and testing it to 
see if he could not find one ripe. 

"Mr. Fullerton try different insecticides around some of the vines 
about the roots and let's see if we cannot save them. My, it would be 
a shame to lose that melon field," he said. So we made the following 
applications. Going across the field from East to West and taking 
three rows at a time, this brought each test upon each variety of 
melon. 

1st three rows lime and tobacco stems steeped. 

2nd three rows tobacco stems steeped. 

3rd three rows slug shot. 

4th three rows ashes and kainit. 

5th three rows lime. 

This was placed immediately about the roots. None of them 
showed marked results and the beetle tried harder than ever to get 
inside the melons themselves. 

That night we had rose China radishes for supper, twenty-six days 
after planting the seed. 

On Monday, the thirteenth the day and date being propitious, 
John was sent out to mow the alfalfa. It was twenty-six inches high 
and in full bloom. After it was cut (and John said it was pretty heavy), 
all weeds, roots, etc. were picked from it before weighing that the fig- 
ures might be exact. It was weighed green. The weights are as 
follows. 

108 



Northeast quarter (soil top dressed) 1673 lbs. 

Northwest quarter (uninnoculated) 726 lbs 

Southeast quarter (seed innoculated) . 416 lbs 

Southwest quarter (soil and seed innoculated) . 377 lbs 

Total ; 3192 lbs 

Next it was spread, and the day being overcast but not foreboding 
rain it was allowed to remain until nightfall, when it was raked into 
windrows. The next morning early it was spread, and in an hour being 
dry but not crackly, was tied into bales of about twenty-five pounds' 
weight and taken to the bam. Here it was weighed again. 

Northeast quarter (soil top dressed) 701 lbs 

Northwest quarter (uninnoculated) 313 lbs 

Southeast quarter (seed innoculated) 189 lbs 

Southwest quarter (seed and soil innoculated) . . . 168 lbs 

Total 1371 lbs 

It is cured to perfection, the leaves remaining on while the stem 
is still green. Horse Texas will almost break his harness to get 
some, while Buckeye disdains even to notice it. 

Corn was now a daily diet in our household. Of course we tried 
every variety of everything grown, but nothing caused such a howl to 
be set up as the non-appearance of golden bantam corn. It was abso- 
lutely useless to put any other variety on the table as long as this little 

gem lasted. . 

In the Senior Partner's phraseology, "it's the earliest, ugliest, 
smallest, sweetest corn that grows. If you once taste it you won't want 
any other." 'Tis extremely yellow, therefore not popular with trades- 
men, but a decidedly good crop for home hampers. 

Italians were sent into the tomatoes to pick every morning now, 
for it required two and sometimes three of us a good part of the day 



Kale ready for 
cutting 




109 



packing various products. Many a morning they have brought in fif- 
teen to eighteen bushels of tomatoes while cabbage, radishes, lettuce, 
kale, kohl rabi, carrots, eggplant, corn and beans kept all hands pretty 
busy. 

We were informed by one of our Huntington neighbors that a lit- 
tle excursion had been planned from that point to the farm for the fif- 
teenth. Glad we were to hear it, for we were anxious to have more 
people see and believe the stories of the wonderful growth. For their 
benefit we had arranged part of the day's pick on the front porch and 
it made a very good "agricultural exhibit" including corn, eggplant, 
green and wax beans, pole and bush limas, squash, vegetable marrow, 
four varieties of tomatoes, (pink, red, large and small yellows) cauli- 
flower, one cabbage weighing when stripped for market, fifteen pounds, 
beets, carrots, onions and peppers. 

The Farmer was particularly anxious to see the assistant postmas- 
ter and for a greeting had arranged a large perfect eggplant in a peck 




Midsummer permitted variation in "Home Hamper" packing 

no 



basket and carried it under his arm to present to him as he alighted 
from the train. The eggplant lover did not come, but a kind neighbor 
carried it home to him and he afterward said to me: 

"It's all right, Mrs. Fullerton, I didn't think the "Squire" could 
raise them, but that was the best I ever ate." 

"We. had plenty of bees," I responded; "they are an absolute 
necessity where eggplant is attempted." 

The "bees" remind me of everyone's query when they saw the 
^*weather bureau" (where the maximum and minimum thermometers 
are housed). "O, do you keep bees?" , 

"Yes, but not tame ones, we coaxed them by strong colored flowers. 
They come for them and are daily visitors. We intended having a 
hive but have not come to it yet. Still our honey friends have done 
all the work necessary," we would reply. 

For some time the children declared, "we took the weather out" 
every morning when the thermometers were read. 

The "little birthday excursion" (for it was the Farmer's birthday) 
numbered ninety-four and we felt as though the good news would 
travel far when they left the farm. 

I was showing some friends over the place and explaining opera- 
tions how this crop was the second on that ground, that the third; ex- 
plaining how it was all done with no commercial fertilizer and but lit- 
tle help. We came to the dairy where we met an old man who had 
preceded us; he was returning from reviewing the fodder corn, and I 
said: 

"Well, what do you think of it?" And of course I was swelling 
with pride. 

"Humph!" he replied. "I don't think much of that there corn; it 
aint got no ears." And as he was referring to sorghum, I could but be 
amused, as sorghum bears its seed on its tassel. 

"This here's that there new thing they call alfalfy, ain't it?" he 
asked. 

"No sir," I replied, "that is Japanese millet; but this is alfalfa,'^ as 
I showed it to him. 

"Japanese millet! We didn't raise them new f angled things in 
my day. I suppose you think this here corn is good too, but it aint 
got no ears neither," he said 

"But that's not corn," I remonstrated, "it's teosinte, a grass, and 
comes from Japan too." 

But "a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still," 
and he went away muttering to himself. 

Our other guests were fully satisfied that no one had drawn the 
long bow in regard to the crops, and fresh vegetables from Experimen- 
tal Station Number One became very popular in Huntington after that. 

Our visitors drove to the beautiful Sound beach, (it should be 
famous as it helongs to the village of Wading River) where they ate their 
picnic dinners and on returning to the train, found the car 
decked with armsful of exquisite gladioli, a gift from Wading River's 
famous grower of this gorgeous flower. 

Ill 



Ted had been mowing millet all day. It fell in a golden wake be- 
hind the scythe, making as pretty a picture as one could wish to see. 
What satisfies us to the very core of our beings more than the harvest? 
Nothing. 

Spinach planted where the early potatoes came out was up in 
seven days and immediately irrigated to hasten its growth. 

The secret of all leaf crops is the rapidity with which they grow 
and nothing can further them more than water coupled with cultiva- 
tion. Endive needing a little of this medicine, the sprayers were 
turned into this field. 




A fair shipment of young carrots 

Young carrots were somewhat in demand in the market in mid- 
August, so we decided to dig all of the early planting and ship them. 
The second planting was by this time providing for home hampers. 
John took the wheelbarrow and fork and went out to the field, he soon 
returned with the barrow full to overflowing. A second, a third and 
a fourth came by and it seemed as though there could not be so many 
carrots in all the world. They were taken to the packing shed, which, 
by the way, was a very quickly improvised affair. Time did not give 
us a chance to build an ideal one, so a strip of quarter-inch mesh gal- 
vanized wire was tacked to the rear of the barn, stretched out to the 



north and fastened to some stakes driven into the ground. The wire 
was turned up at the edges and allowed to sag slightly in the center; 
this admitted of a good many vegetables being placed in it at once, 
while the spray from the hose of course ran right through. As a pro- 
tection from the drip underneath some old boards were placed in front 
of the drain; a table made of old boards (some second-hand stuff left 
from the barn) laid upon boxes, made the packing table, while an old 
sailcloth fastened up among the trees with rope made good enough 
shade. 




The improvised washing and packing "house" 

Mike washed and John bunched. They were sorted into two sizes 
and piled upon the table. Young carrots are sold with the leaves on, 
and nothing could have been prettier than that table ladened with 
orange and green. 335 bunches, twelve carrots to a bunch, was the 
final count; while added to that 173 bunches of pink, white, yellow and 
black radishes made a fair shipment of root crops for one day. 

This plot of carrots covered a space of ground forty-six by sixty- 
seven feet and yielded, all told, 485 bunches or 5,820 perfect carrots. 

I think August twenty-second a good representative day of work at 
this season. I give it to you straight from the diary: 

"Ted finished cultivating celery and celeriac (we also put some 
Bonora, which had been sent us by a good friend with an earnest peti- 
tion that we try it, upon the celery) in dynamite swayle, weeded and 

113 



cultivated all berries, udo and peanuts. Mike and Pedro limed the 
patches where early cabbage, kale and kohl rabi had come out, sowing 
400 pounds. They also sowed 450 pounds Canada wood ashes on the 
alfalfa, and 600 pounds old rotted manure on the southwest and south- 
east quarters (these quarters had given the smallest yield), Pedro and 
Martin picked tomatoes for two hours, Tony all day spraying cauli- 
flower, cabbage and sprouts with Bordeaux and Paris Green. 

"Sorted, washed and packed twelve crates tomatoes (1,200), three 
barrels corn (650 ears), one crate corn (72 ears), one basket summer 
squash (36), one basket of cucumbers (60). 

"John finished making crates. Ted cleared out the barn and stack- 
ed empty crates over the shower bath-room. 

"John and Mike picked and packed the corn in two hours, brought 
in two bushels and one wheelbarrow load of squash in forty minutes." 




Summer squashes 
and marrows 



I might insert here the "crate incident." On the seventeenth day 
of July a half car-load of packages in "knock down" shape arrived, 
they were stacked up by the barn and everyone except Mike exclaimed: 

"Where do you intend to store them all winter; they will last a 
couple of years." 

"O no, Mr. Fuller', you need more than him this year," Mike said, 
"I know, you wait till cabbage and Bruss' sprout' ready." 

"Why, Mike, we'll never fill those in the world," I said. 

"You wait see, Mes Fuller'." 

He was right, many a message has gone forth this summer "for 
goodness sake rush packages as much as you can, crops are spoiling 
for want of them." But many barrels alas, are lying empty! 

Kale had been shipped two days previously, the plot thirty-one by 
thirty-nine feet yielded 355 heads, the last shipment filling three bar- 
rels. The kohl rabi, from seed from North China, yielded 144 roots and 
the space occupied by them after being set out was thirty-one by four- 
teen feet. These "rabis" differed in no way from the kind usually raised 
here as far as we could see. 



The night of the twenty-second it stormed, so the Italians were 
sent over the cabbage, cauliflower and sprouts again the next day. In 
fact it seemed that a spraying day was invariably followed by rain. 
There were times when "Fullerton luck" did not hold good. 

Endive was tied up when thoroughly dry, this must never be done 
when the plants are damp for it is intensely susceptible to rot. The 




Tying endive for blanching 

field was the quaintest "Dutchest" thing imaginable when the men 
were through. 

"Fullerton luck" brought a thunder storm the next night so there 
was nothing to do but spray again the following day. We went to the 
field in the early morning as was our habit, and the sight that met us 
was enough to make the heart sick, leaves turning black and yellow 
with blight, insects so thick they positively looked crowded. 

"What shall we do?" we exclaimed, " the pride of our hearts and 
the portion to bring in the greatest returns going before our eyes! It 
surely cannot be our fault, or from any neglect." 

"Mes. Fuller'," said Mike, "about every five year, the cauliflower 
he go so, you can't save him, I know, I grow him many year." 

115 



"Should we have sprayed more Mike?" I asked. 
"Mah gah, Mes Fuller' we pass this field about eight times already 
and two times be enough. This the year, you can't help him," he re- 
plied. 

"Well, if this is the year we have him for fair," said the Senior 
Partner. "Mike, tell Tony to go over again, this time dust on tobacco 
aust and slug shot mixed half and half. Then let Martin and Pedro 
pick all infected leaves and the entire plant, where they are bad, and 
bring them up to the barn to be burned. We'll save the balance of 
them if we can." 

The plants and leaves were taken to the barn plot, but we could 
not burn them green and considered them too dangerous to leave until 
dry. 

"Mike tell the Italians to dig a hole here and bury that stuff," said 
the farmer. He watched operations closely and when they had tossed 
in a good layer of leaves he had them spread it thick with lime, an- 
other layer of leaves, again lime, until all were safely interred. I 
have no doubt that will be a rich spot next year. 

Eleven times those fields were "passed" and there is nothing to 
snow for it. Not a cauliflow^er and but few perfect cabbages and it is 
doubtful if we get any sprouts. The latter are set and hard and the 
plants are laden, but the louse has discolored them so badly they 
would not pay for the picking. The plants average one quart of 
sprouts each and as there were 5211 plants set out, the loss can be 
safely estimated at 5000 quarts. During mid-winter these bring from 
twelve to thirty cents a quart. I guess I won't figure what we might 
have made for there is no use crying over spilled milk and we have 
not trusted all the eggs to one basket; a diversity of crops is deep wis- 
dom for those who deal with Dame Nature at first hand." Man as 
yet cannot foretell the season's wet or dry characteristics, therefore it 
is most unwise to rely on one species alone, a season fatal to one vege- 
table assures a phenomenal yield to another. Our only consolation, 
if consolation it can be called, is that all experts and old farmers have 
suffered the same loss this season. 

"What is the cause?" I asked one visitor from the east end of the 
Island, who always has a large acreage of these special crops. 

"Why, that damp warm weather started the rot," he replied, "and 
then I think last winter was so warm and open all the bugs lived 
through and we have a particularly choice assortment this season." 

"Well, it's thoroughly discouraging," I said, "to work so hard and 
have the crop come almost to maturity and then die before your very 
eyes, while you are powerless to save it." 

"Yes! Yes! It certainly is," was his rejoinder, but he said it in a 
way that showed it was not the first time he had met such defeat. 

The spinach was given a good dose of liquid manure as a tonic at 
this trying season of the year and it later amply repaid the labor. 

The tomatoes had received their last cultivation July tenth and 



116 



crimson clover was broadcasted and harrowed in. It came up in four 
days and by mid- August the field was a mat of green, while the four- 
leaved ones among it were Hope's delight. Many a day she has come 
in with sixteen fours, a goodly number of fives and sometimes a six 
leaf. 

Clover was now sowed wherever crop came out, the early cab- 
bage patch received it August twenty-seventh, while early September 
showed many other patches covered with either this or vetch, or sain- 
foin, or alsike. Manure, lime and ashes were spread and cultivated' 
in before these nitrogen gatherers were sown, for they will be allowed 
to remain all winter and turned under for green manure next spring. 
It takes but little time and costs but little money to sow these crops 
and they render untold good to the soil. 

By the thirtieth endive was ready to gather. Those that had been 
tied (and they must be well grown before tying) were out, the raffia 
removed and thoroughly washed. The hearts were blanched as pret- 
tily as could be and thirteen bushel baskets were made ready for morn- 
ing shipment. All things that left the farm in the morning were 
picked the night before, sprayed and allowed to remain out in the 
night air unpacked until morning. The consequence was such things 
as lettuce, endive and spinach were as crisp as possible for these 
plants wilt immediately after picking, but quickly revive if watered 
and placed in the shade. 




The first shipment of endive 

117 



When returns came from the commission merchant they read — 
"baskets of chicory.'" 

"Well, if the big New York dealers don't know endive from chic- 
ory, don't let's grow it any more," I said. 

"I guess we have other things to do," replied the farmer, "Let's 
try romaine and escarole next year, just a little to see if they know 
what that is, they are easier to grow than endive because they need no 
tying." 

The last day of August, our last at the farm! To-morrow would 
see a new era, for we must return to the dear old home to get ready 
for school days. John had become converted to market-gardening and 
he had bought himself eight acres of land and went to prepare it for 
Spring work, while Mike moved his entire family to No. 1 to remain 
for the rest of the winter, 

A Western visitor gave us a feeling of satisfaction. There arrived 
in the afternoon a gentleman from Indiana, a total stranger, who said 
he had heard of the Station and would like, with our permission, to 
look over it. 

"Mr. Micklejohn," for the Farmer was still pretty lame, made him 
welcome and escorted him on a tour of inspection. 

"Well," said our visitor, "I'll tell you, Mr. Fullerton, "I've been 
traveling for a year and a half to find just the place I want for a farm. 
I started in Texas and I have been to every State Experimental Sta- 
tion in the Union and this beats anything I have ever seen. It is the 
most practical, the best looking and most educational of any, and I 
don't see how you have done it in a year." 

"It's the soil Old Man," (all Westerners call each other Old Man, 
it seems to give them great satisfaction) "soil and climate, you can't 
beat it!" said the Farmer. "Come down cellar and see what we have," 
and he showed him the now famous cellar wall giving the strata of the 
earth's construction. 

"This suits me," he said, "my weary search is over. But there is 
something more here than soil in which to grow vegetables, your 
island is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, the unex- 
pected views and beauty spots make it a continual surprise. Why, 
those lakes just to the south of you are gems, and the eyes of man have 
hardly rested upon them, I suppose." 

"Right you are, and there are 200,000 acres of this virgin soil lying 
idle just waiting for a helping hand to give New York its fresh food." 

"Well, I'll make a phophecy, it won't be many years before there 
is precious little of it lying idle, and I, for one, am going in to help 
you. I want a good big farm and I'm going to buy it next week," he 
said. "By the way, I hear you have another Station at Medford, what 
do you think of that section, soil's pretty light, isn't it?" 

"Lighter than this," replied the Senior Partner, "but deeper. The 
surface is drifted over with white sea-sand and we supposed we would 
find soil a foot and a half at the deepest. When they were clearing they 

118 



dug a cellar under a shack, in which to store dynamite, and we found 
the soil four feet deep. You could have knocked me down with a feath- 
er, for no one is more enthusiastic about the Island than I, but I never 
supposed there was four feet of good soil in that section." 

"Well it only goes to show mighty few people know much about 
the land they live in," he said. "May I bring some friends in a few 
days to see the place, they will think I have lost my head when I tell 
them about it, so I want to show it to them?" 

"Sure thing! bring as many as you want and come as often as you 
wish, and stay as long as you like. Always glad to see you," was the 
rejoinder. 

Dynamiter Kissam had been called away, so that but one acre 
of the dairy had been cleared, he was to return when he could and fin- 
ish the piece for we were anxious to get rye in this fall. 



tUdo, the 
Japanese celery 




119 



Summer Idylls 




Open-air 
wash-stand 



Wash-boiler 
Bath-room 



180 



Part V 
Autumn 



^ 



Work and play in the corn-field 




Virginia Horse Tooth made good wig- warns 



1 

I 



Autumn 

THE first of September saw the children and myself off to Penn- 
sylvania for a few days. They had been "good as pie" all 
summer and often when father and mother were too burdened 
to be pleasant they had had dull times. Rides were their great joy and 
they always went to the depot with shipments; but companionship of 
their age was lacking and it was time they had a "vacation." Such a 
glorious one they had with a bunch of cousins; pillow fights, early 
morning squeals, romps and picnics. 

With the aid of records kept at various times by the stenographer 
Mike, Walter and Martha (Mike's eldest daughter), I give you the fall 
work. 

Sunday the second records the picking of the first melon, a Long 
Island beauty. The Italians were pressed into service more now for 
John's going left a hole in the force. Tomatoes were coming thicker 
than ever and I remember asking Mike on my return from a day's visit: 

"Any tomatoes yet, Mike?" 

"My gah, yes, Miss Fuller', we ship forty-one crates this morning.'^ 

"Forty-one crates! Goodness, that must have been some tomatoes, 
how many culls?" 

"Eight bushel, I give 'em to section hands and train crews, they 
like 'em," he answered. 

No wonder the diary records "two Italians picking tomatoes one- 
half day." 

Sugar corn that had been gathered was cut and stacked and the 
land prepared for a legume. Barrels had to be unloaded and stacked^ 
for we still had hopes of gathering some cabbage and cauliflower, 
while sweet potatoes held out the promise of an abundant yield. 

More endive was ready for shipment on the sixth and the diary 
records: 

"Washed and packed six barrels of cabbage, eleven bushels of en- 
dive, also some carrots and beets." 

Tony showing the greatest aptitude for market-gardening, was 
given the more particular work and he soon took John's place in help- 
ing Mike with the packing. Walter, the boy, had become quite pro- 
ficient in many ways, and for a lad of fourteen shows good signs of a 
budding farmer. 

On the sixth the Assistant United States Agrostologist visited the 
farm to see the alfalfa. As a test had been made for the Govern- 
ment at their special request, they were naturally much interested. 

His verdict coincided with others already given and he further 
said upon examining the roots and seeing the nitrogen nodules, that 

123 




The start of a morning shipment 

Long Island virgin soil must contain the needed bacteria for the larg- 
est nodules found were on the uninoculated section. That the bac- 
teria was at home and at work in all sections he felt was true without 
a doubt, and he further predicted that "next year you will not be able 
to tell one quarter from another." 

The tenth records the shipment of five crates of melons, and from 
that time on we could not compete with the field, the yield was too 
great. The prophecy held for them came true, they were not as sweet 
as we had hoped, but like cauliflower this was an off year, entirely too 
wet and really good melons were as "scarce as hens' teeth." I give 
you here a letter to Mr. Peters on the subject: 

"Wading River, Long I-sland, N. Y., 
"September 10,1906. 
"Mr. Ralph Peters, Pres., Long Island City. 

"Dear Sir: — The weather, which sent the thermometer down to 
forty and even a trifle below night after night, held np our melons and 
further weakened the vitality of the vines to a marked extent. The 
striped beetle, which has been our toughest nut to crack, true to the 
usual procedure, appeared late in August in immense numbers. This 
was a time when he could only be fought with severe damage, not only 
to the vines but the melons themselves, and in spite of the greatest of 
-. care and most thorough work they succeeded in laying eggs in great 
quantities. The beetle itself and its "maggot" not only attacks the 

124 



vines, but it attacks the melons themselves as it does cucumbers and 
squashes. While they seldom are able to injure, or in fact, penetrate 
to the interior, they certainly spoil the appearance of the melon and 
in many cases where they happen to work close to the juncture of the 
vine, they partly cut off the sustenance supply and check growth and 
ripening considerably. We have a big lot of melons of excellent qual- 
ity, but they do not look right. I went into the city on Thursday af- 
ternoon, Friday and Saturday, and foimd that, without exception, both 
Jersey and Southern melons had been attacked in exactly the same 
way as the melons on No. 1. I also foiuid that Rocky Fords were com- 
ing in with mutilated skin coverings. At the Delaware Water Gap 
when I went to bring home my family, I found exactly the same state 
of affairs existing with every melon I could discover. A few of them 
were native, most of them were coming from Jersey, Colorado and the 
South. Nevertheless, in spite of the scientific explanation that there 
are certain seasons when the natural enemy of our insect pests are 
entirely absent, or present in numbers so small that they do not exert 
any apparent influence and man alone cannot cope with them, we have 
no hesitancy in saying that we will prevent this marking another year 
and base this egotistic statement on the results of our experiments, 
which, although started late in the season, will show conclusively that 
the aftermath of the striped beetle need not be feared if tobacco is used 
freely, particularly, about the melon hills, etc. 

Yours truly, 

H. B. Fullerton, 

Special Agent." 

On the eleventh "we two" went to the farm for the night, for the 
following day we were to receive a delegation of dairymen to view the 
farm's successes and failures. 

For their benefit we placed upon the porch a bale of alfalfa and a 
bunch of plants (roots and all) from each quarter section. They 
seemed wonderfully pleased with the successes attained and one of 
them upon examining the root nodules, said: 

"May I take some of these home with me? We have tried for 
three years to raise alfalfa at our dairy and we cannot get a nodule 
or get the plant to live over winter. It is a remarkable showing this 
section has made and I congratulate you most heartily." 

No less interesting to them were the other fodder crops and they 
were as surprised at the Virginia horse tooth as any one else had 
been. By this time it had grown to fifteen and one-half feet, with the 
ears, seven and eight feet from the ground. 

A six-footer stood among it holding an umbrella in his upstretehed 
hand and the tip of the umbrella could not touch the tassel. 

The Suffolk County Fair opened on the seventeenth and much 
time was consumed in making ready. A little portable house, the 
same size as the one we had been living in, was erected on the fair 
grounds, and for some time we had been preparing and framing pho- 
tographs of the farm's development, to hang upon the walls. Sunday 
the sixteenth took us all to the farm again, giving to the children a 
good treat, for they really had grown very fond of the place, and to 
us another busy Sunday. 

125 




At 

Suffolk County Fair, 

September, 

1906 



Being "Suffolk Countyites" we are allowed to enter vegetables for 
competition and strange to relate, the yearling farm won eleven first 
prizes, six seconds and an honorary mention. The portable had its 
miniature sign by the front door flanked by teosinte and backed by 
Virginia horse tooth, the interior had one room furnished as a bedroom, 
while the others had tables loaded down with vegetables of 
various sorts. There was a goodly showing for the time of year, let- 
tuce, endive, summer and spring radishes, beets, onions, carrots, par- 
snips, salsify, beans, sugar corn, tomatoes, squash, marrow, canta- 
loupes, watermelons, mangles, sugar beets, pe-tsai, and sakurajima, 
potatoes, sweet and white, cabbage, sprouts and peanuts, alfalfa, mil- 
let, corn, sorghum and teosinte. 

The little cottage was crowded with visitors every day, some from 
curiosity, some from real interest, many came back a second and third 
time becoming so absorbed in the subject we would often talk for 
hours. 



The Fair 
fiign-board 




"These are scrub oak vegetables, raised in one year without the use 
of commercial fertilizer," we would say. 

"Oh, I don't know about that," would come the rejoinder. 

"'Then I'll tell you," and the whole story of the farm's history 
would be repeated. No one who heard or saw it as I have tried to re- 




A bit oi the portable interior at the fairs 

late it in these pages, but saw the logic in the venture, and many an 
agriculturist had new heart put into him from the long chat, while 
without a doubt we received as good as we gave. 

They contended, those who had not farmed, that ten tons of ma- 
nure to the acre was "a heap of fertilizer." I would like to quote here 
from the American Agriculturist of recent date. The extract is from 
an article on raising melons in another state and the quantities used 
are for one acre. 

"In the Fall is spread twenty tons of stable manure free of stalks 
and straw (this would equal thirty to forty tons of ordinary manure). 

"1000 pounds high grade Carolina phosphate rock. 

"300 pounds high grade sulphate of potash. 

"This is harrowed in and I sow twelve to fifteen quarts of crimson 
clover to be plowed under in April. I then sow 1000 pounds com- 
plete fertilizer (formula two per cent nitrogen and four per cent phos- 
phoric acid and ten per cent potash)." 

This surely dwarfs ten tons strawy manure into insignificance. 

The second morning of the fair, a carriage full of visitors drove up 



to the door and an east-end neighbor, who had visited the farm in the 
early summer alighted, bearing several large bouquets of asters and 
dahlias. He brought them with the thought they might help brighten 
our exhibit. In reality they were a peace offering. I relate the in- 
cident as one which to us was full of glee. 

During his visit to the farm he espied the newly set out celery 
plants. 

"Your farm's all right, Mr. Fullerton, but what did you plant that 
for?" 

"Celery? Why not?" said the Senior Partner. 

"Why not? Because you can't raise it here and there's no use 
trying," he replied. 

"Do you raise celery?" asked the Book Farmer. 

"Um!" as our gTiest nodded his head. 

"Exhibit at the Riverhead Fair?" 

"Um!" again as he acquiesced. 

"Well, so do we, and if you win a prize this year you'll know it, 
for you'll have to work over time." 

A smile broke over his face and he clapped the "gude mon" on the 
shoulder, saying: 

"Fullerton, you think the Island will grow anything under the 
sun, don't you?" But his expression said, "He's an enthusiastic 
youngster (the said "gude mon" being some years his senior) but he'll 
get over it." 

We exhibited celery at the Fair and won second prize. Therefore 
the flowers. 

One afternoon I was standing in the bedroom door tired from the 
day's exertions (the Senior Partner was away that day holding an- 
other exhibit at an agricultural gathering). The house was crowded 
with visitors, among them some Irishmen. 

One large, portly man said: "Och, come on out, they know what 
to put in their fields!" 

"What did we put on the fields?" I flared up, supposing, of course, 
that he referred to a high priced fertilizer. 

"Shure on didn't they have you in the fields! Sure, I'd worruk me- 
self if you was out there!" 

I blush to tell the story, but it is too good to keep, that was the 
time my zeal for the farm got me into hot water. 

In our beloved home town, the Horticultural and Agricul- 
tural Association held an exhibition and they particularly requested a 
showing from the farm sending us entry blanks for competition. We 
were glad to help and filled out the blanks with twenty entries. As 
this took place during the Eiverhead Fair week, the Senior Partner left 
me late one evening, drove the twelve miles to the farm, gathered and 
packed crops all night and took them in to the exhibition the next 
morning. 

The farm's showing was as pretty as could be, its greatest attraction 

1S8 



in one sense, being a basket of dainty miniature vegetables from the 
cliildren's garden. Their plantings had been made very late and in 
the shade which tended to dwarf them, but under the circumstances 
seemed very apropos; as at other exhibitions people wondered whether 
the corn was not spliced, while the high quality coupled with the exten- 
sive variety attracted much attention. 

When the Farmer returned to Riverhead I eagerly asked the news, 
meaning, of course, what prizes had we won. 

"Nothing doing," he said, "they seemed to think it was honor 
enough to be allowed to exhibit fifty varieties and would not allow our 
stuff in competition. I guess the next time I 'help out' I'll think twice 
before I work all night doing it." 

"That hurts," I replied. "If it were outsiders we could speak our 
mind, but that touches the quick." 



At 

Mineola Fair 

September, 

1906 










At the Mineola Fair where the exhibit looked even prettier than at 
Riverhead, the Senior Partner had an odd experience. 

A gentleman came in and said, "How are you, Mr. Fullerton; I've 
been looking for you and asked a man if he could tell me where to find 

your exhibit. 'There's the whole d humbug over there,' he said, 

so here I am." 

"Where's the man," said the Railroad Farmer, "and what's the 
matter with him-" 

"He's outside now looking at that corn to see where it's spliced. He 
says you didn't raise the things and if you did you had five tons of 
commercial fertilizer to the acre," replied the visitor. 



129 



The SSeuior I'artuer stumped out under full head of steam and the 
following wafted in the window: 

"Howdy, neighbor! hear you don't believe we raised this stuff 
without commercial fertilizer. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll give you 
$1,000 for every ton we used on every acre of the ten, and if you don't 
think my personal check is good, I'm sure President Peters will be 
glad to back me; in fact, I'm not sure but he'll raise it a |1,000 or so 
for every ton we used and I mean it," he reiterated. "At your figures 
that would be |50,000 sure money, at least, and you had better start in 
at once. Here's the name of the man we bought everything from in 
the way of fertilizer, that will start you right and quick." 

The stranger had nothing more to say, but left the exhibit at once 
and I doubt very much if he is hunting for the fertilizer. 

Among our visitors at the latter fair were many market garden- 
ers( all of whom were most complimentary about the produce and felt 
the Experimental Station had done them a personal favor in opening 
up a territory that had so long been looked upon as valueless and not 
even considered. Many of them were forced to give up their farms 
near the city, as price of land and taxation was too high to compete 
with longer, and big figures were being paid for their acres. They 
now felt a promised land was open and they would come out into "Suf- 
folk." 

Many of our vegetables at the fairs proved tempting, especially 
the black radishes to the Germans, while a pile of very large sweet po- 
tatoes near a door disappeared mysteriously. One portly lady w^as seen 
walking across the grounds with a large yellow potato hugged lovingly 
against a black silk dress. To quote Kipling, "it showed up like a 
ripe banana in a smoke house." 

It was particularly fascinating to watch the interest shown in the 
various varieties. Without a doubt the one bale of alfalfa, together 
with the photographs picturing the work in the field from inoculation 
of seed up to and including the harvest, caused more comment than 
anything else there. Interest in it was shown by young and old, and in 
fact the younger men seemed the most eager to know how to grow it 
successfully. 

A lad of about eighteen became so engrossed in it and the other 
farm products, that he spent a whole morning in the building; while a 
boy nearer fourteen said, "I'm going to make my father grow that if 
I can." It well repaid us the long days and incessant talk to see the 
keen awakening of the budding agriculturists. 

Women, of course, showed more interest in "garden sass," especially 
in the martynias, large radishes, including the twelve pound Sakura- 
jima and the Pe-tsai. Request after request was made for the names 
"written down so I won't forget" and I doubt not many little gardens 
will grow them next year. 

One gentleman spent much time over the exhibit, went away and 
returned shortly, with two companions. They passed silently around 
noting every detail and finally, one of them broke forth: 

130 



''They've got Jersey beat to death !" 

That was a draught of nectar to we "book farmers." 

Ted became indignant many times a day at the remark that the 
sixteen foot corn was "spliced," and would say: 

"Even after they've looked it all over, from the root to the top they 
will hardly believe it." 

The little stenographer, who is short and round, became, after a 
brief while, utterly disgusted. 

"Why, you can't make people believe we grew them without tons 
and tons of fertilizer." She had a long argument with one man who 
finally said: 

"Well, what do you eat to make you so fat?" 

And she replied: 

"Scrub oak vegetables," which seemed to be conclusive proof of 
their merit. 

The last day of the fair the little house was thronged with people 
asking for their favorite vegetable, while many asked for peppers, to- 
matoes, melons and squashes "for seed." The watermelons were 
eagerly sought for, they were not very large, but the sweetness made 
up for lack of size. 

I remember asking the Senior Partner, when we were breaking up 
the Riverhead exhibit: 

"Are there enough melons for Mineola?" 

"Enough! The cellar is half full, Mike don't know how to get time 
to ship them." 

Ted had been constantly at the fair and after going back to No. 
1 to see the engine repaired (a blow hole in the cylinder had been 
causing us a good deal of trouble) went to Experimental Station No. 2, 
where a countryman of his, with his wife and little children, are en- 
sconced in the portable that did service at the fairs. 

As the weather grew colder we deemed it wise to dig the remain- 
der of the sweet potatoes, but Mike begged so hard to be allowed to 
leave them, saying: 

"I save him, Mr. Fuller', I make big brush heaps all around, a 
frost come, I light him, that save. I make brush heaps too, all around 
lima beans, after frost he bring much money," that we allowed him to 
have his way. 

On the tenth the Farmer went to the farm with some very import- 
ant photographic work in hand. He had scarcely stepped foot upon 
the place when, as he says: 

"I got uneasy and told Mike to call the men in from the dairy and 
pick every tomato, bean and eggplant. I felt we would have frost that 
night." 

Mike sat up until midnight to watch for it and deciding there 
would be none as no dew was falling, went to bed without lighting the 
sweet potato brush fire. Signs failed for the thermometer fell to 
twenty-eight degrees and potatoes had to come out next day. They 
were practically mature, but we would like to have had a week longer. 

131 




The sweet potato field and samples from it 



The yield of this digging was forty bushels; this with the previous one 
bringing the yield up to 51 bushels. 

Virginia horse tooth not only reached the desired height of sixteen 
feet, but went two feet higher and has also matured. The yield in 
bulk of forage is tremendous, while the depth of kernel and circumfer- 
ence of ear are remarkable. One of the prettiest sights on a farm is 
stacked corn when the yield is good, while as true wigwams for make- 
believe Indians they cannot be surpassed. 

Alfalfa was cut for the second time October twelfth. The yield 
was, of course, a mere handful compared with the first cutting, but the 
field has held to its reputation even in this respect, the second cuttings 
totaling 207 pounds, green. 

A trip over the fields in October makes one feel desolate enough, 
crops out or half out, signs of the heavy frost everywhere. The most 
peculiar thing, however, is to find the field, where we have lately re- 
moved turnips, thickly dotted with beautiful endive; radishes where 
sweet corn has been cut, and carrots, peas, beans and spinach among 
the crimson clover. These plants were "first crops" on each section 
and it does not seem to matter how deep the seeds have been buried, 
they all come up in their own good time. 

Thus stands the farm, but a year and a month old. Proudly does 
it raise its head and look the world in the face, calling to mankind to 
come and liberate its sister acres lying in idle waste and unproduc- 
tiveness, awaiting but the touch of that magic wand — the hand of man. 



132 



Part VI 

Packing and Shipping Notes 

and 

Epilogue 




The Open Door of Experimental Station No. 1 



Packing and Shipping Notes 



To the beginner this portion of the business is fraught with as 
much uncertainty as any other. The method of packing 
varies materially with the locality. 

We have been much interested in the subject this season and find 
that if a package is good, and the principle based on common sense, 
backed by first class products, the market is glad to have it. 

One day during the height of the tomato season we made a pil- 
grimage among the markets and commission houses. We saw the 
same article packed in many differing ways, each with some feature, 
which must have appealed to the packer. Lastly, we went to a com- 
mission house where we had been shipping the farm's surplus and 
asked them the method in which they would rather have us pack 
tomatoes. 

"Well, Mr. Fullerton, I'll tell you," said the young man in charge, 
"tomatoes usually come in what we call Jersey crates. Here they are, 
rather heavy and hold about a bushel." 

"Then you don't care for our package of six baskets to the crate," 
said the Senior Partner. 



134 



"Why, yes, we are doing well on those. Jersey crates are selling 
now for fifty cents and we are getting one dollar for yours right along. 
In fact, there is one buyer comes here and won't look at anything until 
he knows whether you have a shipment in. Your goods are fine and we 
know they're the same all through. If I were you I'd keep on packing 
tomatoes your way." 

"I guess we will," was the rejoinder. 

One thing is certain it pays to pack your fancy goods in a fancy 
style for the fancy trade, then ship your seconds as such. Our toma- 
toes, as I have said before, were all sorted, which left every day from 
three to eight bushels of seconds. These could have been disposed of 
easily in a local market for a reasonable price, while our "fancies" were 
bringing just double the price of the usual shipment. 

The same holds good of other products. Young carrots washed and 
bunched, with the tops left on and packed, we think, either in crates or 
bushel baskets, will bring far and beyond the price of fully matured 
carrots with the tops cut off, then barreled. One package appeals to 
the fancy grocer, the other to the wholesale dealer. 

Some dealers wish a dozen bunches of carrots tied together, I 
imagine this is when they are shipped by the barrel, for it is then easy 
to split a barrel's contents without much handling. If, however, the 
carrots are packed in bushel or half bushel baskets this quantity is 
about what the retail dealer would handle. 

The commission merchants are in need of some education also. 
When they calmly call four distinct varieties of endive "esgrove," it 
shows they are not on the "fancy" scale; they should seek the "fancy" 
trade when they have a shipper who sends them "fancy" goods, particu- 
larly varieties of the favorites of foreign climes. 

It seems to us that a change is needed. The grower's products 
go now to a commission merchant, are sold by him (between 12 and 3 
A. M.) to the wholesale dealer, by him to the small grocer and lastly 
to the consumer. This necessitates the following delays and han- 
dlings: 

Our products, for instance, would leave the farm at 7 A. M. crisp, 
tender and fresh; that night at midnight they would be sorted out to 
the wholesale dealer, the following morning he sells to the grocer and 
by night the consumer has it. This condition is, of course, much 
worse where the produce is from twenty-four hours to one week in 
transit between grower and dealer. 

The day is shortly to arrive when all restaurants, hotels and clubs 
will deal directly with the farmer, giving to him the full value of his 
crops. This means to the producer a very large increase in his returns. 

To the private consumer, the "Home Hamper" will bring to the 
door absolutely fresh vegetables in season, unhandled. If you will stop 
to think one moment what "unhandled" means, you will be astounded, 
"Unhandled by a dozen people, not having stood in hot stores, foul 
cellars, or along dusty streets"; and it means the same to the famous 
steward as it does to the simple housekeeper. 



The "Home Hamper" means a mail order business, and let me 
say here, let no man, or woman, undertake market-gardening unless 
they distinctly understand it is a business; as much a business as a 
department store or a manufactury. This hamper is delivered in 
New York or Brooklyn for |1.50; exactly the same price in mid sea- 
son, and much less when vegetables are scarce, as you would pay for 
the articles at a fair greengrocer's. To the housekeeper within the 
city limits the mail order gardener opens to her a door through which 
she can bring in fresh supplies for jellies, jams, preserves, canned veg- 
etables and pickles, the exact quantity she desires fresh from the gar- 
den. To the gardener who adds chickens to his other products, a mar- 
ket for eggs is at once opened, for these may form a portion of the 
"Home Hamper" contents, and "dormant" food for city dwellers be re- 
duced to the minimum. 

Perishable products, such as lettuce, endive, spinach and radishes, 
should be picked either in the early morning or at nightfall. They 
should then be spread in the shade, thoroughly sprinkled and left in 
the open all night. These products wilt instantly when gathered, and 
the usual method is to take a barrel into the field cut the crop and 
pack it at once, the result being the produce wilts and heats tremen- 
dously. Radishes when shipped to a hotel or club should be packed 
in crates, which have had paraffin paper laid on each side and each end. 
They should not be bunched, which is a saving of much time to 
both parties concerned, and every radish should be so perfect that the 
steward may take up a handful and see that they may be served at once. 
Is he willing to pay a good price? Of course he is, for it saves him one 
man's time and brings him much commendation. Lettuce well washed 
and crisp, saves him further time; in fact the benefit he derives is well 
worth a fancy price no matter what the vegetable. 

Sweet corn, without a doubt, is the most difficult product to get 
to market in its best condition. It heats very fast, while after a few 
hours the sugar is transformed into starch. If possible, pick it in the 
early morning and ship at once; if not, pick the last thing at night, 
spread so the ears do not lie on one another and leave it out in the 
night air, packing and shipping at once in the early morning. 

The Senior Partner says, "A true corn eat is where you pick the 
corn after the water is boiling," but, alas, for city folks, they will never 
know a "true corn eat." I doubt not the "Home Hamper" this sum- 
mer has given them the nearest to it they have ever known. 

The farm has shipped this summer upward of one hundred "Home 
Hampers," most of them to "history makers" and "critics," which if sold 
as many of them were, at the usual rate (|1.50) would have netted a 
tidy sum — they have been forwarded through New York City to in- 
terior points and never failed to arrive in prime condition and receive 
enconiums. 

The personal equation here as elsewhere means much, therefore 
study up your packages, decide what you will use and put them to- 



136 



gether during the winter, time is too precious in the summer season. 

Gathering a crop when it has reached the best stage is a matter 
that entails much thought. The coming idea is "not how large, but 
how good." Peas picked when young and sweet will sell as "petit 
pois" at an advanced figure. Small beans bring "baby bean" figures, 
while small, crisp radishes are the only ones worth shipping. Young 
beets are in demand, also young carrots, onions and turnips. Gather 
your corn before the kernels have reached their largest size and do not 
wait for lettuce to become as hard as a rock provided it is well 
blanched and headed. 

It seems to me the mutual interests of market-gardener and con- 
sumer could be materially advanced if the former would form a league 
and meet the National Stewards League of America; they would find 
their interests identical, and here, on equal terms, matters of vital in- 
terest could be brought up and discussed. 

The Market-Gardeners Association could have at its head an agent 
whose business it would be to keep in touch with the members of the 
association and the members of the league, so that a larger harvest of 
one commodity could be disposed of where the league members most 
wanted it. The Suffolk County Cauliflower Association has been es- 
tablished on these lines for some years. Their agent keeps in touch 
with the markets of both East and West, giving to the members the 
knowledge where to ship to their best advantage and thus save a glut 
in the nearby market. Now the producer and consumer of garden 
crops are as far apart as the poles with the commission man between 
them. This may and no doubt does sound most tremendously hard 
on the commissioners; they still have their place in the world, however, 
for the big car lots and imported commodities must always be looked 
after by them. The market-gardeners' consignments are usually small 
and many commission houses do not care to handle them at all. This 
has been our personal experience this summer, therefore the fact has 
been forced upon us, that the small producer must find his market 
direct; easy in this case for the one wants what the other has. 

In the following tabulation you will notice a wide disparagement 
of figures under "average market value." These figures have been 
taken from our own returns for this season. On the same date from 
the same house there may be a wide difference in the return on the 
same commodity packed in different ways. Again the return from one 
house may be much higher than from another on the same goods 
packed the same way. For instance, from one house on the same day 
we received the same price for a basket and for a crate of melons. The 
basket, of course, held much less, but the quality of the two packages 
was the same. At one time and at one house turnips sold for sixty- 
seven cents per barrel, at another house, seven cents per bunch, in 
crates; this seems to be good proof of the advisability of fancy packing. 
Tomatoes loose in crates (even though carefully sorted) brought Mty 
cents per crate; in baskets in crates, as high as $1.75. 



Watermelons and eggplants should be packed with a little straw 
that they may carry unblemished. Lettuce wrapped in paraffin paper 
and a piece of paper laid over the head of cauliflower will raise them at 
once to the ranks of aristocratic vegetables. 

For the convenience of those who are uninitiated, two and one-half 
bushels make a barrel; spring radishes should have twelve in a bunch, 
while the summer varieties require only six. Beets and turnips should 
have six, eight or ten, according to size; understand this is merely the 
custom of one locality, and package customs, like others, have their 
good and bad points. Individuality, on a basis of common sense, will 
prove as good with vegetables as it has with fruits and flowers, while 
new varieties and hybrids are being as eagerly sought for by stew- 
ards as by landscape gardeners. 

J!t 

List of Plant Life 

Flourishing at Experimental Station No. ] within a year after 
clearing commenced 



Vegetables 



Name 



No. of varieties 



Artichoke, Jerusalem 

Asparagus 

Beans, string 

Beans, Lima 

Beets 

Borage 



1 
1 
8 
6 
... 3 
1 

Brussels Sprouts 2 

Cabbage 14 

Cardoon 1 

Carrot 4 

Cauliflower 3 

Celery 9 

Celeriac 1 

Chives 1 

Corn, sweet 10 

5 
1 
3 
1 
2 
1 



Cucumbers 

Egg plant 

Endive 

Horseradish 

Kale 

Kohl Rabi 

Lettuce 19 

Martynia 1 

Okra 2 



Name No. of varieties 

Onions 4 

Parsnips 2 

Parsley 2 

Peanuts 2 

Peas 3 

Peppers 4 

Pe-tsai . 1 

Potatoes, white 10 

Potatoes, sweet 3 

Pumpkin 2 

Radishes 8 

Rhubarb 2 

Sakurajima 3 

Salsify 1 

Scorzonera 1 

Shallots 1 

Spinach 3 

Squash 5 

Sunflower 1 

Tomatoes 16 

Turnips 4 

Udo 2 



Total 180 



138 



Fruits and Berries 



Name No. of varieties 

Apple 10 

Apricot 1 

Blackberries 1 

Canteloupes 5 

Cherries 4 

Currants 3 

European plums 6 

Gooseberries 2 

Grapes 3 

Japanese plums 3 



Name 

Nectarine . . . 
Peaches .... 

Pears 

Quinces .... 

Raspberries 3 

Strawberries 1 

Watermelon 2 



No. of varieties 

1 

6 

10 

3 



Total 64 



Forage 



Name No. of varieties 

Alfalfa 1 

Alsike 1 

Beets, sugar 1 

Canada field peas 1 

Clover 3 

Corn, field 2 

Cow peas 1 

Mangle Wurzel 2 



Name 
Millet . . 
Oats . . . 

Rye 

Sorghum 
Teosinte 
Vetch .. 



No. of varieties 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 



Total 19 



Foliage and Flowering Plants 



Adlumia 1 

Asters 3 

Bessera 1 

Bulbous begonias 4 

Calendula 1 

Calladium 1 

Catalpa 1 

Coboea 1 

Chrysanthemum 6 

Crocus 3 

Cypress vine 2 

Dahlia 3 

Daffodils 3 

Eulalia 3 

Forget-me-not 1 

Fuschia 4 

Geranium 4 

Gladiolus 6 

Grass, lawn 3 

Hollyhock 4 

Grand Total 



Iris 3 

Lilac 2 

Lilies 2 

Nasturtium, dwarf 4 

Nasturtium, climbing 5 

Oxalis 3 

Pansy 6 

Perennial phlox 6 

Privet 1 

Roses 15 

Salvia 1 

Scarlet runner 1 

Shrub, scented 1 

Sweet peas 6 

Sweet William 1 

Thunbergia 1 

Violet 3 

Wild Cucumber 1 



Total 117 

380 varieties 



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A curious cross between cabbage and tur- 
nip. Forms an enlarged knob just above 
ground- Flavor more like cabbage than 
turnip. Seed from North China. 


From the first planting but 200 out of 500 
imported plants set out headed, and these 
were not equal to the drilled in seed, when 
properly thinned. Irrigation was found an 
absolute necessity, and with it the third 
planting, made on July 13th, produced 90* 
during the intense heat of August and 
September. 


This was really a dairy crop, but no room 
was to spare in the dairy, so these and sugar 
beets were planted in the Market-garden. 


Striped beetle and wet weather materially 
reduced this crop. Melons were abundant, 
but marred skins and lack of flavor injured 
them. 


The ground was so rough it made this 
crop difficult to handle. The quality was 
however very high. 


2 
"9 
o 

& 

a 

'a 

.S 
IS 

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4. O 

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0) rt 

§^ 
u 

>. 3 

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This was planted late to winter over. The 
germination was exceedingly rapid; 13 days 
instead of the usual 21 days. This crop 
will be harvested in Spring of 1907. 


Average % 
MarketValue Profit 


o 
o 


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CO 


in 

CNI 


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1-H 


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Red $1.50 per 

bushel 
Yellow $2.00 

per bushel 

White $>1.00 

per bushel 

2c per bunch 


"aJ 
(-1 

rt 

11 

a. 

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in 

i-H 


$1.00 per 100 
bunches 


Total Yield 


o 

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April 26 
July 17 


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June 25 


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April 21 
Set Out 
June 6 


April 17 
Set Out 
April 20 
Jnly 13 


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April 17 
June 13 


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1-H 

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31x14 ft. = 434 
sq. ft. 


1st Planting 

124 X 19 ft. = 

2356 sq. ft. 

2nd Planting 

65x51 ft. = 3315 

sq. ft. 

3rd Planting 

62x17 ft. = 1054 

sq. ft. 


II 

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1— ' 1— 1 

ooes 


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sq. ft. 

2nd Planting 

87x14 ft. = 1218 

sq. ft. 


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$2.00 
Plants 
$4.90 


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The field mice had a perfect picnic among 
them and ate IH of them. These were 
grown ratheras a legume and as a test than 
for marketing. 


Early crops turned yellow from slight acid- 
ity of the soil- Second planting turned yel- 
low and were dwarfed. Third planting given 
extra quantity of wood ashes and early cul- 
tivation hilling up the vines. 

These were grown in the vegetable flower 
bed as an ornament and harvested as a 
"side issue." The potted plants cost 9 
times as much as home grown seedlings. 
Numerous varieties brings the total yield 
very low. Early varieties small yield but 
high priced. Late varieties especially Great 
Divide and State of Maine yielded high, 
rate 280 bushels per acre. High price for 
seed of new varieties nets a loss. 




rt 




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There were neither time nor hands enough 
to pick the early crop. Fairs interfered 
much with 2nd crop, while 3rd planting 
was made mainly for the fair exhibits. 


% 

Profit 


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First crop a failure from root maggot; 2nd 
planted in a portion of same plot with a 
quantity of wood ashes, plants 0. K. The 
radishes weighed up to 13 lbs., extremely 
delicate eaten raw, also boiled. Midrib of 
the leaves used as asparagus. 


The roots were small, but of good flavor. 
Have no doubt irrigation during May 
drought would have produced much better 
growth. 


Known as black or Spanish salsify — a very 
delicate variety— see note on salsify. 

Eaily plantings went to blossom when very 
small — lack of cultivation plus dry weathei. 
Third planting made between corn rows 
neglected during Fair time. Fourth plant- 
ing irrigated as well as cultivated; result, 
good profit. 


Squash do not seem to sell well in the New 
York market. For local markets and home 
hampers they are excellent. 


o 

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4> 
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t< 
3 

c • 
c« >^ 


Profit 


529 


n 
S 




'# 
t^ 




Average 
MarketValue 


We are assured 

by a Jap that 

these will sell to 

the Japanese 
colony for from 
8 to 10c per lb. 
Weightofthese 
radishes from 5 
to 13 lbs. 






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V 

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a. 

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32 


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52 bushels 


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4 barrels 


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Spray- 
ings 










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Culti- 
vatings 


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April 20 
June 22 


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April 27 
April 29 
August 13 
August 17 


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re 


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June 21 


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June 18 


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April 17 

April 21 

August 6 

August 10 

May 16 


May 26 
June 13 


Size of 
Plot Planted 


1st Planting 

134x3 ft. =402 

sq. ft. 

2nd Planting 

68x3 ft. = 204 

sq ft. 


o 

CN 

in 

lid 

X 

o 

00 


» 

lid 

X 


1st flanting 
127x88 ft. = 

11176 sq. ft. 

2nd Planting 

99x30 ft. = 2970 

sq. ft. 

3rd Planting 

68x52 ft. =3536 

sq. ft. 

4th Planting 
187x21 ft. = 

3927 sq. ft. 


o 

I— ( 
II d 

vO <« 
X 

in 

00 


1st Planting 

344x5 ft. =1720 

sq. ft. 

2nd Planting 

88 x lift. =968 

sq. ft. 


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in 


in 


$1.00 
$4.65 


IT) 
CN 

f-l 


o 
o 

CN 


Name 


Sakura- 

jima 
Radish 


1 


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o 

c 


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cr 


Sugar 
Beets 



Q 
uu 
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Late plantings did not bring the vines quite 
to maturity, earlier plantings are to be 
recommended, say June 1. 




Potted phnts outrivalled all others. Earliest 
pink began bearing June 19 and continued 
until frost. Loss during August dampness 
33 K% (estimated). 


First planting rotted leaf and bulb during 
hot damp spell in August. Later plantings 
germinated in 48 hours. 




CO 

CO 

I— ( 


o 
o 


ON 

1— 1 


CO 


1 Average 
'MarketValue 


IM 

IT) 


$1.75 per bbl. 

50c. to $1.75 
per crate 


3 

.a 

a. 
in 

CN 

.—1 


Total Yield 


to 
"^ in 


51 bushels 


203 bushels 


Naught 
40 bushels 


iber 
Spray- 
ings 










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Culti- 
vatings 


CO 


, ^^ 


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ate 

Ap 
peared 


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•— 1 




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re 


July 2 
July 24 

July 30 
August 6 


o 

V2 


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3 
3 
1—1 


Planted 
June 15 
July 2 


Feb. 24 
Set Out 
May 18 

and 
June 16 


June 29 

July 20 

uly 28 

August 4] 


Size of 
Plot Planted 


II 

K . ! 

"^^ a* 
in <" ■ 

^ 1 


1st Planting 
320 X 94 ft. = 

30080 sq. ft. 

2nd Planting 

302 X 12 ft. = 

3624 sq. ft. 


208x111 ft.= 
23088 sq. ft. 


1st Planting 

88xl4ft.=1232 

sq. ft. 

2nd Planting 

46x70 ft. =3220 

sq. ft. 

3rd Planting 

88x35 ft. = 3080 

sq. ft. 

4th Planting 

224 X 21 ft. = 

4704 sq. ft. 




<U 3 

o £ 


i3o 
JSo 


Seed 
$2.40 
Plants 

$7.00 

$9.40 


in 


Name 


o 

3 
3 


UJ 2 
en o 




3 <U 

S 2 


Turnips 



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H 



IP 



WEATHER REPORT 



THE Weather Report is "official" only after May 18th as on this date the U. S 
Instruments were placed in position. From September 1st until January 
1st, the temperature was recorded only in the early morning; therefore I give 
but the minimum; from January on, the thermometer was taken four times daily by 
two tested thermometers; the precipitation was, of course, not taken until the Govern- 
ment rain gage was installed. One glance at July's record will show the difficulties 
under which we labored during that month. Eight inches of rain fall is a pretty high 
record, but it must be remembered that this precipitation did not take place entirely 
in rain falls, but that the air was surcharged with moisture for days at a time, while 
the temperature remained high. While May's record does not read amiss, the month 
was one of continued high winds during a moistureless period, conditions very 
hard for plant life to bear. The Maximum and Minimum temperatures record the 
highest and lowest points the thermometer reached during the month. 



Month 


Temperature 


Number Days 


Total Precipitation 




Maximum 


Minimum 


Bright 


Cloudy 




1905 












September 




40 


16 


14 


Rained 6 times 


October 




28 


22 


9 


Rained twice 


November 




18 


18 


12 


Rained 4 times 


December 




18 


15 


16 


Rained 5 times 


1906 












January 


63 


9 


10 


21 


Rain and Snow 10 times 


February 


84 


6H 


17 


11 


Rain and Snow 4 times 


March 


53 


15 


16 


15 


Snow and Rain 6 times 


April 


73 


30 


17 


13 


Rain 6 times 


May 


91 


36 


18 


13 


Last Half of Month 4. 07 


June 


92 


42>^ 


19 


11 


4.68 in. 


July 


87 


53>^ 


10 


21 


8.34 in. 


August 


92 


53 


12 


19 


4.04 in. 


September 


89 


40 


21 


9 


.86 in. 



149 




Summary 

Giving data, also conclusions o Broad Gauge Men 

THE history of Twentieth Century Pioneering has been written 
from a record kept day unto day in two diai'ies; this record 
being supplemented by a very large number of photographs 
to graphically portray the methods and happenings incident to the sub- 
jugation of acreage, frequently referred to as "wild land," in the quick- 
est time possible. Unquestionably many improvements will suggest 
themselves to even the casual reader. 

Three hundred and eighty varieties of plant growth were suc- 
cessfully developed or naturalized. This great number was experi- 
mented with in order to prove conclusively to the world at large the 
fact, well known to real Long Islanders, that auy plant growable in 
the Temperate Zone could be developed far above the average in qual- 
ity, and further, many little known or entirely unknown growths of 
marked food value in their native countries would readily naturalize 
with the particularly favorable conditions of Long Island climate and 
soil. 

In no respects were the experiments with unusual plants a failure. 
The failures, as enlarged upon in the body of this book, were without 
exception with those species long ago proven particularly profitable 
on the Island. And the failures upon Experimental Station Number 
1 were duplicated not only on Long Island, but throughout the East be 
cause of the practically unique atmospheric conditions prevalent during 
the summer of 1906. 



150 



Commercial fertilizer was not used or experimented with because 
it was not needed in the virgin soil, whose only lack was humus, or de- 
caying vegetable matter. A particularly small quantity of manure was 
used in order to show that a very small amount of capital could be 
made to yield more profit Avhen invested in agricultural pursuits upon 
the long libeled Long Island territory still lying idle and without reason 
called "pine barrens" and "scrub-oak waste," than from acres long 
tilled by "penny-wise and pound-foolish" owners. 

To plant and cultivate thirteen acres, the majority of them inten- 
sively, but three men were employed. Again, to show primarily that a 
small amount of capital would carry' on the labor end of market-garden- 
ing, also that three men with modern machinery could do what from five 
to eight experienced hands would accomplish with only the strongest 
of effort without the aid of labor-saving devices. The use of me- 
chanical drills and hand cultivators proved time and time again, by 
measurement and by clock, that one man with a machine whose first 
cost as from |7 to $10 and with a life lasting many years, equaled ten 
men with a hoe. 

Many experiments in packing and marketing were tried, proving 
conclusively that individuality in packing paid. That there was a 
great market for strictly choice, fresh, products of the earth and 
further that the principle proven so successful by manufacturers and 
mercantile houses, must be pursued to secure the largest returns by 
those who select to go to Mother Nature for a livelihood. The trend 
of the times is summed up in the phrase "from producer to consumer 
direct." The consumer secures not only absolutely fresh food, but 
vegetables and berries and fruits that have ripened, as the chemistry 
of nature requires, upon the parent stalk at no increase in cost, but, in 
fact, at a marked reduction ; while the grower who has given time and 
labor, thought and capital, receives a return sufficient to prove that 
agriculture is a business, assuring not only a comfortable livelihood 
but profits fully equal to those of any manufacturing or mercantile 
pursuit. It is sincerely hoped that the following data will prove of 
interest and value. 

Total area of Long Island, 1,076,480 acres. The west end, com- 
prising Kings, Queens and Nassau Counties, 337,363 acres. Suffolk 
County, the easterly two-thirds of the Island, covers 739,117 acres. 
Of this over 40,000 are without assessment. This non-producing terri- 
tory consists mainly of beaches and salt meadows, while 200,000 acres 
lie ide and with merely nominal assessment against them, much of 
them covered with second and third growth timber consisting prin- 
cipally of oak, chestnut and pine which is not considered large enough 
for cord wood. Some of it through lack of forethought has been 
burned over by the forest fires so prevalent generally in the spring. 
As a matter of fact the cord wood on much of this idle acreage would 
pay and more than pay for the clearing and the first cost. Practically 
all of it is absolutely virgin soil with every requisite for raising a higk 
quality and big yield of flowers, fruits and vegetables. 

Prices of uncleared land vary from |10 to |30 per acre. Cleared 



land, some of it fenced and with dwellings and farm buildiings upon 
it, varies in price from |100 to |200 per acre. Much of this land is ex- 
tremely valuable having been kept up by the waste matter of live 
stock of many species. Other acreage has been handled by progressive 
men who knew the value of cover crops and green manure. Some, of 
course, has been handled with less intelligence but quickly responds 
to methods proven rational and assuring yearly increase of fertility. 

Every section of Long Island is readily accessible. The narrow 
island has three divisions of the Long Island Railroad paralleling each 
other; one on the south shore, one through the central section and one 
along the north shore, making it practically impossible to locate five 
miles from the railroad facilities, and much of the unsubdued wood- 
land lies within seventy miles of New York City, the greatest market in 
the world. 

The Long Island Eailroad Company was chartered in 1834, con- 
struction completed to Hicksville in 1837 and in 1844 the main line 
had reached the terminal at Greenport, which, with a connecting line 
of steamers, opened up New England markets to the farmers at the 
east end of Suffolk County, which rapidly developed that portion of 
the fertile island. Railroad statistics show that the Long Island Rail- 
road is the only railroad in the United States which has retained its 
original name and charter unchanged. Long Island, settled in 1640 
both from England and New England, the particularly favorable clim- 
ate backing up the fertile and tractable soil, soon brought settlers from 
neighboring states as well as across the water. The east end built up 
speedily and settlements first followed west along the thrifty tree- 
covered north shore. Huntington, mainly because of its good harbor, 
developed strongly and furnished in the early days the small villages 
of New York and Brooklyn with bread from its bakeries. Westbury, 
developed from Hempstead, was at this time supplying milk to these 
same small villages and the extreme east end was supplying meat, 
which was driven on the hoof to be slaughtered by the predecessors 
of the purveyers of animal food to the metropolis of to-day. As New 
York and Brooklyn grew the wealthier classes selected Long Island 
for their country homes. In Colonial days the territory just east of Long 
Island City was covered by beautiful country places and we were en- 
tertaining celebrated foreigners, Lafayette among others. Driven east- 
ward by natural development of the great cities, the Westbury Hills 
attracted those longing for great estates and the dairymen exchanged 
the milk pail for the coupon-cutting scissors. At Glen Cove, between 
Oyster Bay and Hempstead, and at Amityville the rapid settlement 
by the wealthier classes continued and as transportation facilities were 
increased, the home-seeker of more modest means followed, until the 
territory up to the Suffolk line was dotted thickly with growing vil- 
lages, now for the greater part suburbanwards. Suffolk was an ud 
known country sparsely settled and devoted mainly to farming. The 
natural eastward trend, however, which started in Colonial days, has 
not abated, the newcomers in Suffolk as a rule selecting their home 
sites near the island's shores, leaving the interior still unsubdued. 

162 



Topographically the Island's surface is most varied. Its north 
shore is composed of wooded hills dropping abruptly to the waters of 
the sound, and sloping gradually to the ocean shore leaving its cen- 
tral section a gently undulating and very easily tilled territory. Its 
climate is remarkably temperate, records showing the range between 
May and October to be 56 in October and but 71.8 in July. The waters 
surrounding the island tempering the heat in summer as well as the 
'vold in winter. The records show between 10 to 15 degrees in favor 
of Long Island. Government report shows the average date of killing 
frosts on Long Island to be October 20th, about one month later than 
in Brooklyn or New York. The same report shows that in the year 
1898 there were 312 sunshiny days, a record only claimed in such semi- 
tropical states as California or Florida, such statistics explain in 
part why Long Island is the most favored spot on the Atlantic coast. 
It is the only land lying directly across the prevailing south-west winds 
of summer, which blowing from the ocean reach it unobstructed and 
uncontaminated. Its soil is known to the geologist as Norfolk sandy 
loam, varying in depth from two and one-half to five feet. Its under- 
drainage being ideal and far superior to that secured by ditching or 
tiles, composed chiefly of glacial boulders and gravel, surplus moisture 
is carried off as it slowly perculates through the soil above, which con- 
tains sufficient clay to retard the moisture for the needs of plant life. 
This same drainage is given as the reason that of the ten healthiest 
spots in the world Long Island stands third, the first and second being 
far up in the mountains of Europe. 

In the agricultural statistics of New York State the island holds 
a high place; its area is given as about one-twenty-fifth of the entire 
state. In Suffolk County over one-half of this land is undeveloped. 
The population statistics of the early days are interesting. 

Population 

1693 1698 1703 1723 

New York State 2,932 17,848 20,749 40,584 

New York City 477 4,937 4,436 7,248 

Long Island 1,432 8,261 9,653 15,650 

For a century and a half, while New York State was largely agri- 
cultural, the island in population and revenue was the mainstay of 
the Empire State, running up to one-half of the state's total. 

Its crop yield led all other portions, not excepting the Mohawk and 
Oenesee valleys' famous farms. 

The average yield per acre from old state records show 

Average yield per acre 

Long Island All other sections 

Corn 35 bushels 28 bushels 

Wheat 19 bushels 14 bushels 

Oats 26 bushels 17 bushels 

Rye 17 bushels 11 bushels 

Barley 28 bushels 16 bushels 

153 



Suffolk County's settlement is strangely sparse, there being rouglily, 
one and three-fourths persons per acre, averaging the island as a whole. 
An anomaly for a territory which is the logical residence section of 
Greater New Yorkers and which for generations has proven itself to 
be the natural source of supply of milk and vegetables needed by the 
great cities whose requirements augment stupendously each year. 
These two foods being of little value and even a menace to health, 
except u-Ju'ii strictly fresh, must perforce be drawn from supply points 
close by. For even the most studious care and skilful refrigeration 
fails to compensate for the extended time necessary to reach the con- 
sumer from far-off regions. Milk cannot be kept in perfect statu quo 
nor can the change from vegetable sugar to starchy products of no 
human food value be checked, hence in the future the easterly half 
of Long Island will be relied upon to furnish the freshest milk, vege- 
tables, fruits and flowers for the New York market. 

The Long Island Eailroad, continually anticipating the need of 
growers, is increasing its express service and runs special trains to car- 
ry freight cars of vegetables on standard passenger-train schedules from 
growing localities to markets. In 1906 its special service placed vege- 
tables in the hands of city consumers inside of four hours after they 
were packed and shipped from a distance of nearly seventy miles. 

In 1905 the freight shipments of vegetables by rail alone amounted 
to: berries, 433 tons; cauliflower, 10,075 tons; pickles, 20,962 tons; po- 
tatoes, 53,724 tons, requiring 3,250 freight cars to transport this large 
yield to market, where the growers secured for potatoes, cauliflower, 
asparagus, cabbage, celery, etc., etc., prices ranging from ten per cent 
to ioviy per cent above those offered for the same varieties raised 
elsewhere. 

The express service handled 3,500 tons of cauliflower, 375 tons of 
lima beans, 160 tons of Brussels sprouts, 175 tons of peaches, 450 tons 
of tomatoes. 

Herewith Long Island data of yield per acre compiled from care- 
fully kept records extending over a number of years : 

POTATOES. — Potatoes yield per acre 200 to 400 bushels; average 
price 75c, per bushel, varying from 50c., when bulk of crop is marketed, 
to $1.50 and $2 for early and for potatoes kept into the winter. The 
average gross return per acre is |225, cost of production |56.50, net 
profit $169 per acre. 

CAULIFLOWER. — Long Island alone can grow this delicacy in 
large quantities in the open air, the natural precipitation making this 
possible. This crop requires care, but protected and blanched, its 
floweret-formed head nets a proflt per acre averaging over $200. 

CABBAGE. — Average twenty-two tons per acre. Price from |8 
to $10 per ton. Easy to grow, gather and pack. One grower netted 
$935 from three acres. 

CABBAGE SEED. — One of Long Island's specialties, being the 
biggest producer, nets over $400 per acre. 

154 



CELERY. — Long Island grown frequently commands a premium. 
Net profits vary widely from $300 to |1,000 according to the care given 
the crop. 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS.— Cost to grow |30. Yield frequently over 
3,000 quarts of miniature cabbage-heads per acre, which sell at 10 to 
30 cents per quart. Average net return $555 per acre. 

ASPARAGUS. — Yields for thirty years, but good business policy 
dictates renewal after ten years' cropping. Profitable crop after three 
years. Average yield per acre 2,500 bunches. Value 12^ to 25c. per 
bunch. Net yearly return for 10 years averaged over |550 per acre. 

FRUITS. — Long Island has developed many famous strains. The 
Newtown pippin was valued so highly that in 1758 England exempted 
this pippin from the payment of duty. 

PEARS have netted from |600 to |800 per acre. 

QUINCES especially adapted to the island, |1,500 being secured 
by one grower from a single acre. 

PEACHES do well, especially on the hills. 

PLUMS. — The Japanese varieties thrive marvelously, paying the 
third year a good margin. 

SMALL FRUITS.— Gooseberries yield 200 to 400 bushels per acre, 
cost to raise and market 50c. per bushel, bring |3 to $4 per bushel. 
Average net |900 per acre. 

CURRANTS. — Annual yield sure and extremely heavy, two to four 
pounds per bush, frequently net |300 to |400 per acre. 

BLACKBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES thrive well and return 
upward of |300 per acre. 

STRAWBERRIES yield heavily, as high as |800 per acre having 
been secured. 

CRANBERRIES. — Long Island crops rank very high, yield over 
200 crates per acre; value |2 and upward per crate. 

GRAPES. — At present grown mainly for home use. Thrive splen- 
didly and would pay well. 

SEEDS,PLANTS AND BULBS.— Floral growth has proven ex- 
tremely successful on the island and growers of specialties as well as 
a general line are exceptionally prosperous. 

It is not always possible to see ourselves as others see us, but the 
case of the Long Island Railroad's Experimental Station Number 1 
at Wading River, proves the exception to the general rule as the follow- 
ing extracts from letters written by prominent men will attest: 

August 15, 1906. 

"Among the pleasant recollections that I carried away are the im- 
pressions of the possibilities that lay dormant in this so-called "scrub- 
oak waste" land. It was a revelation in several respects. I was greatly 
surprised at the character and nature of the soil, especially the 3l/2-foot 
loam section your cellar shows overlying one of the most perfect beds of 

155 



gravel as an underdrain that I have ever seen. What you have done 
in less than a year on the so-called 'Vaste lands" is convincing proof 
that all this section needs is intelligent management and hard work to 
bring out the latent possibilities in vegetable and fruit growing. The 
character of the products I saw on your place was most striking. I 
have never seen a better showing of alfalfa or a more profuse growth of 
corn than you have at the present time. Your alfalfa plot, particularly 
the one on which soil from an old alfalfa field was used for inoculation 
is a wonder. 

The work you are doing will certainly have a far-reaching effect 
in practically demonstrating the possibilities of vegetable and frxiit 
growing in that section. Your method of clearing land by blowing 
out the stumps with dynamite is unique and interesting. This method 
will be of great value to others. 

Prof. W. G. Johnson, 
Editor, The American Agriculturist. 
Orange Judd Co. 

August 16, 1906. 
All were surprised at the wonders of your farm work and will talk 
about it for months to come. The "Home Hamper" is an excellent 
method of packing and is a fine method of shipping the splendid vege- 
tables raised at Experiment Station Number 1. 

Charles E. Shepard, 
Editor, Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 

August 15, 1906. 
You could not have secured a better truck and garden soil if you 
had excavated and made it to order. The demonstration you made in 
growing such a variety of first quality garden crops in one short season 
on wild soil and without chemical fertilizer I consider nothing short of 
marvelous. 

I am especially gratified at the fine showing of alfalfa and forage 
crops. You have demonstrated not only the possibility but the ease 
with which dairy herds may be maintained by the soiling system on 
soils always considered too light and poor for such purposes. The 
problem of an adequate milk supply for New York City becomes 
more acute each year and the opening of a vast territory of production 
within two hours' distance of this great market, in a section hitherto 
considered impossible, should prove a magnificent opening for the 
dairy interest. 

Col F. E. Bonsteel, 

Editor, Farming. 

Doubleday, Page & Co. 

July 22, 1906. 
You have delivered the goods. Long Island wood ashes and Yan- 
kee muscle and brains do work miracles. 

Walter S. Funnell, 
Editor, Brooklyn Daily Times. 

August 1, 1906. 
Squashes and cucumbers arrived, melons were great. You are cer- 
tainly producing the goods. 

Col. a. G. Peacock, 

Editor, N. Y. Herald. 

156 



August 2, 1906. 
I expect to indulge in an old-fashioned country dinner when I get 
home. You are a bigger and a better farmer than Horace Greely 
ever was. 

John A. Sleicher, 
Editor, Leslie Weekly. 
President, Judge Co. 

Brooklyn, August 13, 1906. 
I was very much siurprised to see what a fine lot of vegetables 
you have raised on what apparently was unproductive soil. I think 
that the experiment made by the Long Island Railroad was a very 
wise one. I have enjoyed watching the progress and development of 
this undertaking and I feel sure that when the people know how pro- 
ductive the soil is and how comparatively easy and economical the land 
can be cleared there will be many who wish to acquire good farm hold- 
ings within easy access of the city of New York. 

Judge Wm. J. Youngs. 

September 17, 1906. 
', The work of the Experimental Station is very interesting and 
edible. 

Lewis Wiley, 
Adv. Mgr. New York Times. 

September 15, 1906. 
The tomatoes were delicious. The first really good tomatoes I 
had this summer. The novelty of real sugar corn was also delightful 
to the palate. The radishes were sound and crisp, the beans fine and 
the potatoes abonit as perfect as any I have ever eaten. 

There are many who would appreciate the opportunity to get really 
fresh vegetables. I think there is an especially good opening in New 
York for real sugar com and real lima beans. You have the advantage 
and can command a higher price for the real thing, which is almost 
impossible to get in the market or even from the fancy greengrocer. 

Wm. Wirt Mills, 
Editor^ N. Y. Evening Mail. 

August 9, 1906. 
The hamper containing the very attractive samples of your prod- 
ucts was duly received. It is work in the right direction and, systemat- 
ically pursued, cannot fail to prove of lasting benefit not only to the 
promoters but to the community at large. 

E. G. Sanborn, 
Editor, The World. 

September 18, 1906. 
The melons were fine, first-class, in fact, any term implying excel- 
lence may justly be applied to them. 

S. W. Cooper, 
Editor, Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 

August 6, 1906. 
It is needless to say that the contents of the baskets were used 
and enjoyed, which is not surprising in view of the fact that the entire 
contents of the baskets were the products of the finest land in the 
world. I always have been a great believer in Long Island and felt 
that all it needed was a show. 

Wm. Holmes, Jr., 
Bus. Mgr. N. Y. Press. 

157 



August 1, 1906. 
If you are going into the business of furnishing "Home Hampers" 
I will be able to get you some customers. 

Wm. a. Deering, 
Adv. Mgr. N. Y. Sun 

June 12, 1906. 
The "firstlings" of the crop came duly to hand and were highly ap- 
preciated. Will you kindly permit me to thank you heartily for the 
token of your skill as a tiller of the soil and the proof it afforded of the 
availability of Long Island soil. 

F. Dana Reed, 
Editor, Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 

September 13, 1906. 
I am exceedingly interested in the excellent report concerning 
the alfalfa experiments. I think the alfalfa has made a most excellent 
showing. That the results speak well for the possibilities of alfalfa 
upon this type of Long Island soil when given careful treatment, whick 
appears to be essential. 

J. W. Westgate, 
Asst. Agrostologist, U. S. Dept. Agriculture. 

From the standpoint of development one of the most important 
features of the year's work is the practical demonstration made by the 
Long Island Railroad Company through neighbor Fullerton and his 
able assistants that the wild lands of Suffolk may be made to produce as 
good fruits, vegetables and fodder as any man need desire. The theory 
of "waste lands" on Long Island is knocked higher than a kite. The 
way is opened for truck farms, fruit farms, dairy farms and every other 
kind of a farm in a region which has heretofore been left to the uses of 
the rabbit, the deer and the wild birds. 

— Uncle Jerry Wockers, in The County Review. 

The above are from representative men and prove conclusively 
that the Long Island Eailroad's Experimental Station Number 1 pro- 
duced, within one year of clearing, high-grade crops. The publicity 
given this effort to put the so-called "waste lands" in a condition to take 
their proper place in the world's work of yielding their full quota of 
revenue has been so successful, that development is now under way in 
various sections, and anticipating the rapid development of the thou- 
sands of acres of unused land on Long Island along agricultural lines, 
the Long Island Kailroad Company has in hand plans for aiding in the 
establishment of a produce market where trains from each division of 
the railroad can be run direct, and thus furnish quick service and an 
adequate distributing point for the handling of products which yrill 
be grown on Long Island soil. 



158 



Most clearly does the following editorial sum up the situation and 
show the motive underlying the Long Island Railroad's demonstration 
of the Island's "waste lands" fertility. 

Eden and Arcadia at Home 

Commentators are not, even yet, all agreed ,upon the location of 
the Garden of Eden, nor is the local habitation of classic Arcadia as 
clear as the associations which surround the name. Until quite recently, 
though, no one, even the most learned or astute, entertained any serious 
suspicion that either of these inviting or historic localities belonged to 
Long Island. Within the last few months, however, a movement has 
been in good faith begun by long-headed, practical business men, few, 
if any, of whom can be suspected of idealism or rainbow-chasing, which 
may end by the demonstration that the island on which we live, and of 
which we know so little, has in it possibilities which may yet make it 
the garden and the beauty spot of the entire Atlantic coast, not to say 
of the whole country. Three-quarters of a million acres of as fair land 
as lies outdoors offers inviting, almost unlimited, field for the experi- 
ment; the commercial environment is complete — that is to say, the 
markets and the money rewards are at hand; and so the appeal which 
is both the beginning and end of the most of the activities of mankind 
is direct and immediate. Reclamation of what have heretofore been 
regarded by the lazy and indifferent as merely barren wastes is already 
inaugurated on broad lines, both for immediate and remote development, 
with the greatest and most insatiable markets of the world at the very 
door, ready to pay even the highest prices for everything which the soil 
can produce. Never, perhaps, has a great industrial operation of un- 
bounded possibilities and reaching into the far future been more advan- 
tageously begun than this for the new era of agricultural Long Island. 
Everybody knows that the real estate boom which has inflated values on 
the western end of the Island, almost to the bursting or breaking point, 
must sooner or later meet the inevitable, but for the work which is now, 
for the first time, being seriously undertaken no such condition attaches, 
no such future impends. Intensive farming is the order of the day 
everywhere. The cream of the Western prairies has been skimmed, with 
the demonstration that ten acres, or even five, are enough ; the trolley 
and the telephone have put an end to rural isolation; the cliff dwellers 
of the skyscrapers of the great cities are finding more and more every 
year the disadvantages of their environment, and the tendency to return 
to mother earth, to live close to nature, grows stronger. 

Apart, moreover, from the immediate and local interest in the un- 
dertaking which is to transform the greater part of the Island, to 
change what the uninformed and the indifferent have regarded as des- 
erts and barrens to blooming and fertile fields, the movement deserves 
attention, both from its economic and political aspects. The difficulties 
of real republican government in these congested human centers, the 
problems of administration, sanitation, education, and all that goes to 
make up life are the most serious, the most perplexing with which the 
civic administration of the present day concerns itself; and no solution 
has yet been found to compare, in any degree, with that of distribution 
of the people in homes of their own, supported by their own labor 
upon the land. If the Long Island experiment does nothing else than 
to spread out among the rolling picturesque hills and dales of the north 
shore; the broad, inviting plains of the central Island, or the breezy 



APR 23 1907 



expanses of the southern coast, even a fraction of the people who may, 
in these surroundings, find prosperous and happy homes, it will abun- 
dantly justify itself. The public learns only by object lessons, and 
one like that which Long Island offers the opportunity and the reward 
will not long go unheeded, certainly in the entire Atlantic coast chain 
of towns and cities. 

Another factor which should not be overlooked in tlie movement 
is the close and direct co-operation of capital. Indeed, the corporation 
which furnishes transportation to the Island, is really the genius of the 
whole undertaking, working out the practical details, gathering infor- 
mation and prosecuting experiments at its own cost, handling its trains 
and even extending its lines, all for the benefit and advantage of those 
who co-operate with it and who primarily receive the benefit of the devel- 
opment. It has been sometimes said that it would have been a good thing 
for the Pennsylvania if it had bought the Island when it bro,ught the 
road. It may turn out to be better than that if it develops the Island 
and so gives to the owTiers of its lands, both small and great, share and 
share alike, the unearned increment, the inevitable advance in value 
which must come from the change in the condition, the use and the 
product of the lands. In other words, while Congress, commissioners 
and courts legislate and wrangle over railroad rates, the corporation 
most directly concerned sets an example by lending its capital, its ser- 
vices, and its enthusiasm in promoting a project which must give to 
its beneficiaries far greater and more permanent advantage than it 
possibly can to the railroad itself. Mr. Hill, perhaps the ablest rail- 
road administrator living, worked this all out, long ago, in his North- 
western development. The Long Island adopts the same principle, 
with methods modified to suit the conditions, and it is only reasonable to 
anticipate that what has been done on a large scale and upon thousands 
of square miles of prairie may be repeated, even more profitably, at 
oiur own doors and upon the plains of Long Island. 

The incident illustrates, again, the old maxim that "the Lord 
helps those who help themselves," and that those who are looking for 
the chance to do something usually are able to find work close at hand. 
Perhaps, also, there is a side light on the much discussed municipal 
ownership idea. If anyone believes that the agricultural development 
of Long Island could be accomplished in any other way than that by 
which it has been undertaken, the experiments of municipal bridge 
operations, of tunnel construction, of street opening, and of public 
buildings, go very far toward demonstrating a negative. The cor- 
poration and the public are abundantly able to meet each other half 
way, at least, in their own interests, and anyone who will take the 
trouble to study the methods and the policy recognized between the 
railroad and the people of the Island will see an excellent illustration 
of the practical, common sense way of doing things. Taken in its 
large sense, the experiment of Long Island, though now in the day of 
small things, in its very beginning, is one of which a great deal more 
will be heard which will warrant the careful study and attention of 
those who undertake to read from events and from social and indus- 
trial changes their laws and lessons, as well as of those who are merely 
looking for a good thing, for a chance to get rich, not quick, but 
certainly. 

— Editorial, Brooklyn Standard Union. 

This broad gauge article written by :Mr. Herbert L. Bridgman, 
editor, explorer and philanthropist, is assuredly a fitting 

FINIS. 

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